Sep 17, 2009 11:59 am US/Pacific
200 Dead Walruses Spotted On Alaska Coast
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) ―
Federal wildlife researchers report that up to 200 dead walruses were spotted from the air along the northwest coast of Alaska.
Researchers spotted 100 to 200 carcasses near Icy Cape, which juts into the Chukchi Sea about 140 miles southwest of Barrow.
For the second time in three years, thousands of walruses have congregated on the northwest coast as Arctic sea ice has receded beyond the shallow continental shelf, where the animals dive for clams and other food.
Why the walruses died is not known, but experts say young animals can be crushed in stampedes when the animals are startled.
About 3,500 walruses were reported last week near Icy Cape.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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