Watch as abandoned baby walrus gets second chance at life, round-the-clock care

An orphaned baby walrus found abandoned is getting a new lease on life after she was rescued from a remote corner of Alaska.

The female Pacific walrus, who has not yet been named, was found emaciated and dehydrated with "small superficial wounds covering her body" in Utqiagvik, Alaska after her herd left the area, the Alaska SeaLife Center said in a news release Monday.

The center rescued the baby last month with the approval of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Wildlife Response Program. The walrus is now at the center's facility in Seward, Alaska.

"In rehabilitation, staff act as surrogates, sitting with the calf around the clock and providing intensive care," the center said, explaining that walrus calves remain with their mothers for one to two years, seeking comfort through physical contact. Walruses are also highly social creatures, the center said.

While the walrus, estimated to be a few weeks old, is showing positive signs of improvement, she remains critical and under intensive care.

'Demanding task'

Multiple organizations, including SeaWorld, Indianapolis Zoo and Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, and several other wildlife facilities accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums are supporting the center in rehabilitating the young walrus ever since she on July 22.

“Caring for an orphaned walrus calf is an incredibly demanding task, requiring unwavering dedication and expertise,” center President and CEO Wei Ying Wong said in a statement. “We watch her signs of improvement with cautious optimism and are pleased to be supported by our partners in providing the best possible care for her and all our wildlife response patients.”

The center has admitted only 11 walrus calves to its Wildlife Response Program since it was founded back in 1988, which makes this calf "very special," the center said, adding that it is the only organization "authorized to rehabilitate live stranded marine mammals in the state of Alaska."

The Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Washington is only one of four zoos in North America that have walruses, so the zoo sent in a member of their team to Alaska to help the baby.

Ambassador for her species

The walrus will never be released into the wild given her habituation to human care and will instead "serve as an important ambassador for her species, raising awareness about the challenges faced by Pacific walruses and the ecosystems they live in," the center said.

"Walruses are amazing ambassadors for the Arctic and an inspiration to all of us to be better stewards of the planet we all share," Chris Dold, SeaWorld’s chief zoological officer, said in a statement. "We are honored to have walruses in our parks, providing our guests the opportunity to learn about them and inspiring people to protect them and their habitats."

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.