Walrus Carcasses at Point Lay, Cape Lisburne, Still Baffling

As the walrus carcasses discovered on the northwest Alaskan beach continue to puzzle the public, U.S. federal authorities are looking deeper into the case.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife service, the latest batch of images that was sent from a location near Point Lay, Alaska, show a number of walruses having died. Whether the causes are natural or they have been killed, it remains unclear.

Nonetheless, according to official statements, they U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is inclined to believe the causes are rather natural as no signs of violence are witnessed in the images. These latest images show the walrus carcasses in the same spot in Point Lay where on September 2nd, 35,000 walruses were witnessed resting on shore.

For now, federal authorities haven’t released many details on the walrus carcasses. While the actual number of deaths remains unknown, as well as the approximate age or the cause of death, any further findings will be confirmed on site by an investigator and consequently made public.

The walrus carcasses seem to be intact according to official statements. This leads to the assumption that the cause of death could be nothing more than the usual stampede that usually takes its toll, particularly on the young as they race to reach the water in search for safety and nourishment.

A similar incident took place in 2009, when in September the news was released that 130 young walrus carcasses were found at Alaska’s Icy Cape. At the time, the usual stampede was to blame.

More recently, another case of dead walruses was reported within 100 miles distance from Point Lay, at Cape Lisburne. Here, 25 walruses were found to be shot. Some of the walruses were missing their tusks or heads altogether. An investigation is currently ongoing. Federal prosecutors, as well as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service cannot give more details at the moment.

Photo Credits: Wikimedia