The shrinking of the arctic icecap appears to be leading to a mass migration of walruses. Thousands of them have appeared on the northwest coast of Alaska. Normally the walruses are mainly found on the arctic ice in summer and autumn.

This year however the ice has retreated quickly and left the shallow seas over the continental shelf. Outside of this area the walruses’ nearly 200 (over 600 feet) diving range doesn’t suffice to allow them to feed sufficiently.

However it also remains to be seen whether the coastal waters they’ve now moved to will offer walruses sufficient nutrition. And their new coastal habitat brings with it new risks for young to be killed in stampedes.

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