social worker (healthcare & homelessness) | painter | kayaker | national park nerd | dog mom | OU alum x2 | all hail Gen X
Joined March 2009
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That Blonde Girl retweeted
Warning: This rescue story may cause excessive feelings.
Meet Annautaq, an orphaned Pacific walrus calf whose unexpected discovery during USGS research in Alaska saved his life.
Last month, USGS biologist Tony Fischbach and Violet Anniskett, an Illisavik College intern, were surveying a beach after a storm moved a walrus herd from the area. While sampling carcasses for a study on harmful algal toxin levels in Pacific walruses, Violet discovered a live, orphaned calf hiding between two adult carcasses.
With approval from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the local Iñupiaq community, the pair cared for the calf for nearly four days. They dispersed the gulls scavenging him, walked a half mile to the nearest shelter (an abandoned building open to the elements), and protected him from polar bears until the storm passed and a local rescue team could boat him across the lagoon. From there, Alaska Sea Life Center (ASLC) vet techs crated him onto a small plane to rehabilitation. Violet joined the journey to ease his transition.
Violet grew up near walrus herds and first joined USGS surveys on a high school class field trip. This September, she joined the USGS team to gain professional experience working with the wildlife central to Iñupiaq culture. Her community agreed to have the orphan saved with the condition that they name him to preserve their connection to him. Violet chose Annautaq, an Iñupiaq word meaning axe, in honor of her father’s Iñupiaq name.
USGS scientists monitor Pacific walrus populations in support of Marine Mammal Protection Act reporting and management requirements. This work depends on partnerships with Alaska Native communities, whose generational knowledge shapes how we understand and protect these animals.
After rehabilitation at the ASFC, Annautaq has moved to his long-term home, where he will serve as a species ambassador, helping people learn about walruses and their connection to Alaska's people and changing marine environments.
All work was conducted under USFWS permit MA3376D.
📷1: Violet and Annautaq.
📷2: Annautaq gazes out the shelter window.
📷3: Tony and Annautaq.
📷4: Violet resting with Annautaq.
Credit: Tony Fischbach, USGS
ALT Young woman smiling next to a close-up of a large walrus with textured skin indoors.
ALT A large walrus sitting indoors, gazing out of a window with natural light illuminating its wrinkled skin.
ALT Person gently holding a young walrus near a window overlooking a grassy coastal landscape under a cloudy sky.
ALT A person in a hooked puffy jacket laying face down on a thin mat on the floor next to a walrus calf.
We are having a costume contest amongst the shelter staff tomorrow (clients judging) and I’m going as a rainstorm bc someone said I just walk around like a little cloud ruining everyone’s day 🤣🌧️
ALL 11* of Momma Dog’s puppies have been adopted!!! 10 weeks and 3 days. ✨✨
*there were 2 spoke for very early and they didn’t make the poster
One time in undergrad I had so many parking tickets they called my dad. When he found out they were 99% at the dorm where I lived, he was like we pay for her to live there, why aren’t there enough spots for the students? Also he made me pay them. But still. Go Dad.
If you come upon me at a stoplight while I’m belting Radiohead at the top of my lungs, my friend that’s a you problem not a me problem
South Carolina football is my pick’em nemesis and somehow we are playing them on Homecoming. I did not approve of this.
It’s okay to keep things that aren’t money in your car for people who panhandle. Water bottles (unopened and or reusable), protein bars or shakes, and ziplock bags of dogfood are easy to manage and always helpful.
Someone needs to run a political ad saying no child has ever had gender reassignment surgery at school and if you believe that you are too stupid to vote.
That Blonde Girl retweeted
Now this is pretty cool. Sean Hutton is released from the hospital today, then Facetime's in for the postgame celebration.
