A walrus calf seemingly left behind by her herd near Alaska's northernmost city is alert and "sassy" as she receives care at a nonprofit wildlife response center hundreds of miles from where she was rescued, said a center spokesperson, per the AP. Alaska SeaLife Center rep Kaiti Grant said the nearly 165-pound, crinkly-bodied Pacific walrus arrived at the center in Seward late Monday from Utqiagvik, some 800 miles away. An initial exam indicated the calf, thought to be a few weeks old, was malnourished and dehydrated. She also had superficial wounds, though it wasn't clear what caused them, and little is known of the circumstances that caused her to be left alone, Grant said. Hunters had reported that a walrus herd had recently been in the beach area where the calf was found.
The Alaska SeaLife Center, a public aquarium and research facility, took in a 200-pound male calf found alone and miles from the ocean on Alaska's North Slope last year, but the calf struggled with health issues and later died. Grant called the loss of the calf devastating, but said staff were cautiously hopeful about their new patient, who is still undergoing tests but has taken to a bottle well. She's just the 11th walrus the center has cared for in its 26-year history. Grant said the animals have special needs and the first several weeks likely will be a crucial stage until staff know the calf has stabilized. Since walrus calves seek comfort through contact with their mothers, the center says staff provide round-the-clock attention.
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