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An Article "Biggest Walrus Gathering Recorded as Sea Ice Shrinks" By National Geographic  

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An Article "Biggest Walrus Gathering Recorded as Sea Ice Shrinks" By National Geographic  

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Over a thousand walruses gather on the northwestern coast of Alaska on September 23, 2014.

Photograph by Corey Accardo, NOAA/ AP

More than 35,000 of the marine mammals have congregated in Alaska.

Scientists have photographed the largest gathering of Pacific walruses ever recorded, on a beach in northern Alaska, blaming climate change for the estimated 35,000 females and calves huddled beside the Chukchi Sea (map).

Federal biologists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) photographed the gathering, known as a haul-out, north of the village of Point Lay over the weekend.

It's hardly the first big walrus gathering to be documented, a fact noted by climate change skeptics. But scientists say the size of the gatherings are growing as climate change melts Arctic sea ice, depriving walruses of their sunning platforms of choice.

"The walruses are hauling out on land in a spectacle that has become all too common in six of the last eight years as a consequence of climate-induced warming," the U.S. Geological Survey wrote on their website Wednesday.

"Summer sea ice is retreating far north of the shallow continental shelf waters of the Chukchi Sea in U.S. and Russian waters, a condition that did not occur a decade ago," the USGS website says. "To keep up with their normal resting periods between feeding bouts to the seafloor, walruses have simply hauled out onto shore."

As the ocean heats up due to global warming, Arctic sea ice has been locked in a downward spiral. Since the late 1970s, the ice has retreated by 12 percent per decade, worsening after 2007, according to NASA.

Walruses were first spotted coming ashore in large numbers in 2007. In 2009, an estimated 3,000 walruses were seen; the number rose to 30,000 in 2011 and went back down to 10,000 in 2013. (Read " Ten Thousand Walruses Gather on Island as Sea Ice Shrinks.")

Scientists have seen large haul-outs on the Russian side of the Bering Strait for quite some time, says Anthony Fischbach, a wildlife biologist at the USGS in Anchorage. But since the first recordings of walrus gatherings in Alaska in the 1870s, groups of this size weren't observed until 2007, he said.

May 2014 represented the third lowest extent of sea ice during that month in the satellite record, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center. (See " Shrinking Arctic Ice Prompts Drastic Change in National Geographic Atlas.")

"Being in Alaska, climate change is very apparent," said Lori Polasek, a marine biologist at the Alaska SeaLife Center, a research and wildlife rehabilitation facility in Seward. "That's the reason why we have lost summer Arctic ice."

Pacific walruses looking for places to rest in the absence of sea ice are coming onshore in record numbers on Alaska's northwest coast.

Photograph by Corey Accardo, NOAA/ AP

Following Bertha
Walrus gatherings are also a natural occurrence, Polasek said.

Walruses pull their bodies out of the water-or "haul out"-to rest or warm up on ice platforms or land. While it's not unusual for males to gather in large numbers on Alaska's shores, females typically prefer floating ice chunks as places to give birth, leaving calves on the ice when finding food.

Hauling out is partially convenience and partially walrus nature, said Polasek. The stretch of beach near Point Lay is close to Hanna Shoal reef, a prey-rich foraging ground.

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The giant marine mammals are gregarious and tactile animals, swimming side by side in the water and sprawling all over each other on shore. And when it's time to haul out, walruses tend to play follow the leader. ( See more walrus pictures.)

"Until one brave soul is willing to haul, they're all looking around and wondering, 'Hey, did Bertha just haul out?' Wherever Bertha or that brave soul picks, within hours, they'll all begin to haul out to [that place]," Polasek said. "They just want to be with other walruses."

Polasek predicts the herd will remain at Point Lay for two to four weeks. They'll return to the waters once winter ice begins to form. ( See pictures of our melting world in National Geographic magazine.)
Can Walruses Adapt?

In general, haul-outs can be harmful to walrus populations, she said.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which tracks the status of species worldwide, says there's not enough information about walrus population trends to say whether the species-which has three subspecies, the Atlantic, Pacific, and Laptev walrus-is in decline.

However, "climate change is expected to have negative consequences for Walruses, and particularly severe consequences for the Pacific subspecies," according to the IUCN website.

For one, calves are particularly at risk of disease and from stampedes. Upon a disturbance, whether that's a polar bear or a boat in the distance, walruses tend to rush to the water.

"The calves get trampled," Polasek said.

In 2009, about a tenth of the walruses that hauled out died. This year, at least 36 walrus carcasses have been spotted, according to NOAA. That track record does not bode well for the species.

"This shift to land of calf loss is large and population recovery is slow. If the ice continues to wane, they'll continue to come on land and you potentially have more stampedes. Then it'll be a pickle where [the population] can't recover," said Polasek.

Polasek added it's unlikely that the marine mammals can adapt to hauling out in large droves.

Though there may be no way to prevent disturbances like polar bears and other predators, human communities can learn to adapt to the animal's growing presence on land, she said.

"The village of Point Lay ... has laid out extremely concerted efforts to protect the herd," Polasek said. "They don't hunt in the herd. They direct vessel traffic away from the herd. They do everything they can to prevent human disturbances."

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Biggest Walrus Gathering Recorded as Sea Ice Shrinks

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The biggest gathering of Pacific walruses ever recorded is congregated on a beach on the Chukchi Sea as sea ice shrinks due to climate change.

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YouTube "How Does Climate Change Impact Plants And Animals?" Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

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YouTube "How Does Climate Change Impact Plants And Animals?" Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum

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How Does Climate Change Impact Plants And Animals?

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Video "Why Are Coral Reefs Dying? The Effects of Climate Change" ASU Learning Enterprise 

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Video "Why Are Coral Reefs Dying? The Effects of Climate Change" ASU Learning Enterprise 

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Endangered coral reefs are a major concern given their function as vibrant ecosystems. Coral reefs dying impacts the entire marine ecosystem that relies on them. When asking why are coral reefs dying, scientists have discovered that corals are highly sensitive to temperature changes, leading to the expulsion of algae that provide them with food and resulting in coral bleaching and increased susceptibility to disease. Climate change and El Niño events further exacerbate these bleaching events.Measures to address climate change and reduce pollution need to be taken to protect coral reefs.

There is something about the ocean and the plants and animals that live there that calls to us. This is especially true for coral reefs. Here, life seems to explode in a range of colors and a variety of creatures, including the coral itself. It is in these ecosystems, where life is so abundant, that we have been seeing some disturbing changes.

Many coral reefs have started to die or have already died. When a coral reef is lost, all that is left are the skeletons of the tiny animals that made them. This is not just the loss of one animal. The loss of living coral impacts the entire ecosystem that relied on them. This is because corals are a keystone species for the marine world. Maybe the keystone species. When they are lost, many other plants and animals die. So losing coral reefs is not a good sign for the health of our oceans and for us.

Scientists have been studying what might be causing the loss of these important animals. It turns out that they are very sensitive to temperature changes. When the water temperature warms, the corals will expel the algae that lives in their tissues. These algae provide corals with a source of food. When the algae is lost, the coral becomes white or bleached looking. It is not dead at this time, but it now has lost a major food source and is more likely to become diseased.

If this sounds like this might have something to do with climate change, you are correct. But it is not just the gradual increase in global temperatures, it is also the effect of El Niño that is also impacting corals. El Niño is when there are periods of unusually warm water in the Pacific. This is something that does not happen on a regular basis, but when it does, it can last a year or more. Scientists have compared past data from El Niños with coral bleaching events and they found that during this time, coral bleaching increases. Normally, these infrequent events aren't too hard to handle - but as things heat up, the impact of them becomes much worse. This one-two punch of climate warming with an El Niño makes the bleaching events much more severe.

You might be wondering: what can we do about this? Besides battling climate change and the warming of the oceans, there are other things we can do now that are more immediate. The warmer waters put coral reefs in jeopardy. But pollution is also a stressor on corals that can make matters worse. To help, you can swap out your sunscreen for coral and dolphin safe versions. If you avoid the usual sunscreens made with oxybenzone and octinoxate, that's a start. Instead, opt for non-nano mineral based sunscreens. This way, you can help reduce the stress on coral reefs. This also applies even if you don't visit the ocean! Washing your sunscreen off your body in the shower or bath still allows these chemicals to enter the water system, which often ends at the ocean.

In addition to switching your sunscreen, reducing the use of single-use plastics can also help coral reefs and the ocean ecosystem. These are simple life changes that can make a positive impact on the future of coral reefs. And if you want to learn more about the research into the impact of El Niño on coral reefs, read the Ask A Biologist PLOSable - Hot Flashes in the Ocean at askabiologist.asu.edu.

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Why Are Coral Reefs Dying? The Effects of Climate Change

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Bleaching, climate change and El Niño are resulting in coral reefs dying. Learn what can be done to protect endangered coral reefs as important ecosystems.

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An Article "Wildlife and Climate Change" World Wild Life 

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An Article "Wildlife and Climate Change" World Wild Life 

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Changes in climate and extreme weather events have already begun to affect biodiversity across the globe. And climate change also worsens other threats like habitat destruction, overexploitation, and disease.

From the shrinking habitat of the polar bear to increased water scarcity driving human-wildlife conflict, these changes will become more pronounced in years to come.

WWF is working to better understand how a changing climate impacts wildlife, and developing and implementing adaptation solutions. We are assessing our priority species to determine traits that make them resilient or vulnerable to changes in climate, crowdsourcing data on climate impacts, and funding projects through our Wildlife Adaptation Innovation Fund.

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Changes in climate and extreme weather events have already begun to affect biodiversity across the globe. And climate change also worsens other threats like habitat destruction, overexploitation, and disease. From the shrinking habitat of the polar bear to increased water scarcity driving human-wildlife conflict, these changes will become more pronounced in years to come.

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An Article "The impact of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef - The corals of the reef have been bleached white for a second year in a row" The Economist 

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An Article "The impact of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef - The corals of the reef have been bleached white for a second year in a row" The Economist 

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The corals of the reef have been bleached white for a second year in a row

By R.M. | SYDNEY

THE Great Barrier Reef stretches some 2,300 km down Australia's north-east coast, covering an area the size of Italy. It is home to about 600 types of coral and 1,625 species of fish. UNESCO calls it a "site of remarkable variety and beauty". That may not last. For the second consecutive year, expanses of coral have lost the vivid colours that draw thousands of annual sightseers. Instead, they have bleached a deathly white. Worse, this year the bleaching has extended further south than in 2016. Bleachings were also reported in 1998 and 2002. But for it to happen two years running is unprecedented. Why are the corals turning white?

In the 36 years since the reef was declared a World Heritage Area, mounting stresses from human activity have left it struggling. One factor is the nutrients and pesticides flowing into the ocean from coastal farms and cities in the north-eastern state of Queensland, which have polluted its waters. But experts agree that the biggest culprit is warmer ocean temperatures linked to climate change. Corals are marine animals that get their colour and most of their food from the algae that live within them. The higher temperatures stress algae, causing the rich hues to disappear. Some marine scientists liken this to the impact of a prolonged heatwave or drought on a forest. The Climate Council, an Australian research body, says the reef's surface sea temperatures in early 2016 were the hottest since records began in 1900.

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The impact of climate change on the Great Barrier Reef

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The corals of the reef have been bleached white for a second year in a row | The Economist explains

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YouTube "How does climate change affect animals? | Global Ideas" DW News 

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YouTube "How does climate change affect animals? | Global Ideas" DW News 

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How does climate change affect animals? | Global Ideas

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A Scholarly Article that showcases the climate changes effecting one of wildlife's creatures, the tropical shorebird. "Climatic variation influences annual survival of an island-breeding tropical shorebird" Research Article - Found through CSU database 

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A Scholarly Article that showcases the climate changes effecting one of wildlife's creatures, the tropical shorebird. "Climatic variation influences annual survival of an island-breeding tropical shorebird" Research Article - Found through CSU database 

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A Scholarly Source Letter that expresses the global temperature changes impact on Raptors "Effects of Global Climate Change on Raptors" Found through CSU database 

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A Scholarly Source Letter that expresses the global temperature changes impact on Raptors "Effects of Global Climate Change on Raptors" Found through CSU database 

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A Scholarly source explaining how the climate change is effecting population of wild boars "How climate change and wildlife management affect population structure in wild boars" Found through CSU database - Scientific Reports (natureresearch) 

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A Scholarly source explaining how the climate change is effecting population of wild boars "How climate change and wildlife management affect population structure in wild boars" Found through CSU database - Scientific Reports (natureresearch) 