Technical Summary: BOEM Publication 2016-053

Study Title: Pinnipeds Movements and Foraging

Report Title: Village-Based Walrus Habitat Use Studies in the 

Chukchi Sea from 2009–2016

Contract Number: M09PC00027, BOEM Study Number: 2016-053

Sponsoring OCS Region: Alaska

Applicable Planning Areas: Chukchi

Fiscal Years of Project Funding: 2009–2016

Completion Date of Report: June 2016

Cost by fiscal year; FY 2009: $1,880; FY 2010: $238,017; FY 

2011: $128,276; FY 2012: $117,432; FY 2013: $272,520; FY 2014: 

$313,748; FY 2015: $441,256; FY 2016: $16,008

Cumulative Project Cost: $1,529,137

Project Manager: Lori Quakenbush

Affiliation: Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Address: 1300 College Road, Fairbanks, AK 99701

Principal Investigators: Lori Quakenbush 

Key Words: Pacific walrus, Chukchi Sea, Bering Sea, foraging, 

satellite telemetry, movements, migration, petroleum exploration

areas, traditional ecological knowledge, subsistence hunters

Background: Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus) are highly

important due to their role in the nutritional and cultural 

health of coastal Alaska Natives of the Bering and Chukchi seas, 

and in the marine ecosystem, and because their range overlaps 

with areas identified for potential oil and gas development and 

shipping. Female and juvenile walruses prefer to haul out on ice 

in the Chukchi Sea in summer, however, when the ice edge 

retreats too far north of the continental shelf it is no longer 

suitable for resting between benthic feeding bouts because the 

water is too deep. Increasing our understanding of walrus

movements, habitat use, and haul out behavior will aid in 

resource management, spatial planning and walrus conservation

and is especially important with recent reductions in summer sea 

ice in the Chukchi Sea due to effects of climate change. 

Objectives: The overall objective of this study was to work with 

subsistence hunters to deploy satellite-linked transmitters on 

walruses, conduct observations on coastal haulouts, document 

traditional knowledge regarding walruses, and to integrate our 

findings with concurrent research on walruses and other marine 

mammals in the Chukchi Sea Lease Sale area. Specific objectives 

were to document 1) the pattern of movements, 2) changes in 

behavior relative to changes in sea ice, 3) use of terrestrial 
haulouts, and 4) collect traditional knowledge of walrus 

movements, behavior and habitat use. 

Description: We worked with Alaska Native walrus hunters to 

monitor coastal haulouts, conduct carcass surveys, collect 

traditional knowledge, and attach satellite transmitters to 

walruses to document movements, identify important habitats, and 

describe haul out behavior in the Chukchi Sea. 

Significant Conclusions: This project has contributed to a 

greater understanding of the distribution, movements, and 

habitat use of Pacific walruses by combining data collected by 

satellite transmitters with Traditional Ecological Knowledge. 

Specifically, we provided further documentation of spring, 

summer, and fall movements of walruses including migratory 

routes and use of the Chukchi oil and gas lease sale area. We 

compared three areas of use (Hanna Shoal, Icy Cape, and the rest 

of the Alaskan Chukchi Sea) and found Hanna Shoal likely to be 

the most important of these areas. Females with calves spent 

more time hauled out at Hanna Shoal than females with and 

without calves at other locations. Based on movements and 

behavior of tagged walruses from all years, the greatest 

potential for anthropogenic disturbances from industrial 

activities including local shipping occur near Hanna Shoal from 

June to September. Commercial ships traveling along the northern 

coast of Russia north of Bering Strait in October have the

potential for encountering walruses on their southern migration. 

The greatest potential for harm, however, occurs if the large 

coastal haulouts are disturbed by ships near the coast. 

Study Results: We worked with Alaska Native walrus hunters to 

attach 95 satellite transmitters to walruses in the Bering and 

Chukchi seas (39 on females with calves, 47 on females without 

calves and 9 on males). We combined information from all years

to document movements and feeding and haulout behavior. We 

compared the use of potential feeding areas and whether females 

with calves and females without calves used them differently. We 

conducted traditional knowledge interviews in nine villages and 

incorporated information collected into our final report. We 

estimated the amount of time walruses spent in the entire 

Chukchi Oil and Gas Lease Sale Area (and in the leased blocks

only) in Alaska, as well as in proposed lease areas of Russian 

waters. 

Study Products: We provided weekly updates of walrus movements 

by e-mailing maps and adding them to the State of Alaska 

website. Weekly maps of Lease Area 193 were also provided to 

BOEM. We made presentations to the Eskimo Walrus Commission, to
the hunters at their meetings in Gambell and Savoonga, and at 

scientific meetings including the Society for Marine Mammal 

Conference and the Alaska Marine Science Symposium. We 

conducted traditional knowledge interviews that included walrus 

behavior in nine villages. We produced annual project reports,

seven village specific traditional knowledge reports; one peerreviewed publication is in press, and another is being prepared.