Abstract The Atlantic walrus ( Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus ) is an Arctic endemic species that is under increasing threat due to declines in their sea ice habitats. Walruses rely directly ( e.g ., resting, giving birth) and indirectly ( e.g ., tight coupling between sympagic and benthic productivity) on sea ice, and are particularly sensitive to disturbance by increasing anthropogenic activities ( e.g ., shipping) that are taking place concomitant with sea ice declines throughout their Arctic range. Management and conservation of Atlantic walrus require monitoring of their distribution and assessments of regional and range-wide abundance trends. Atlantic walrus population assessments are typically based on counts of walruses hauled out at terrestrial sites during aerial or boat-based surveys, and increasingly, using satellite imagery. We compiled a comprehensive, distribution-wide dataset of all known Atlantic walrus terrestrial haul-out sites from relevant national datasets to promote accessibility and consistency of use among multiple users, including Indigenous groups, scientific researchers, and resource managers.
Cubaynes et al. (Thu,) studied this question.