Observations of walruses along the Norwegian coast 1967-1992 IAN GJERTZ, GUNNAR HENRIKSEN, TORGER 0RITSLAND and BYSTEIN WIIG Gjertz, I . , Henriksen, G . , 0ritsland. T. & Wiig, 8. 1993: Observations of walruses along the Norwegian coast 1%7-1992. Polar Research 12(1), 27-31. Extralimital observations of walruses are known to be quite common in Norway. The present review covers observations of walruses along the Norwegian coast between 1967 and 1992. A total of 34 different walruses have been recorded observed since 1967. These observations indicate a significant increase in the number of walrus observations in recent years, most likely due to an increase in the walrus population in the Barents Sea area. Most of the walruses observed are assumed to be subadult males. I . Gjertz and 0. Wiig, Norwegian Polar Institute, P . O . Box 5072 Majorstua, N-0301 Oslo, Norway; G . Henriksen, Ofice of the Finnmark County Governor, Deparhnenr of Environmental Affairs, N-9800 V a h 0 , Norway; T . Orit~land, Institute of Marine Research, P.O. Box 1870 Nordnes, N-5024 Bergen, Norway. Introduction Atlantic walruses (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus L.) are occasionally observed along the coasts of northern and western Europe (see Born 1988, 1992 for review) and even as far south as Spain (Nores & Perez 1988). Collett (1912), Lund (1954) and Brun et al. (1968) summarized known observations along the Norwegian coast for the period 1900-1967. They suggested that the majority of walruses observed were from the clos- est habitats in the Barents Sea, i.e. Svalbard and the coast of Russia, and that the apparent increase in walrus observations after 1950 (18 of a total of 31 recorded observations) may partially be due to the walrus protection laws passed in Norway in 1952 and in the Soviet Union in 1956. When Norway passed the total protection law in 1952, the walrus population was on the verge of extinction in Svalbard (Norderhaug 1969). Today the population has increased significantly and is believed to number at least one thousand animals (Gjertz & Wiig 1992). There are also strong indi- cations that the Svalbard walruses belong to a common Svalbard-Frans Josef Land stock (Gjertz & Wiig 1992). Little is presently known about the current status of walruses along the Russian coast, but Timoshenko & Popov (1990) believe the population has remained stable since the pro- tection law was passed in 1956. A quarter of a century has passed since Brun et al. (1968) published their review of walrus observations from the coast of Norway. The aim of the present paper is to document observations of walruses along the Norwegian coast in the period 1967-1992 and to discuss whether the recent increase of the walrus population in the Barents Sea has led to an increase in observations. Methods The Institute of Marine Research in Bergen, Nor- way, is often notified when walruses are observed along the Norwegian coast and elsewhere. The press also receives similar information. Most of this information is stored in a fauna database at the Sea Mammal Section of the institute. This database has provided the basis for this paper. Archives of national and local Norwegian news- papers were also searched for records of past walrus observations along the Norwegian coast. Little information could be collected for the period prior to 1980, however, because news- papers which had suitable archives had switched to electronic archives in the early and middle 1980s. Some details of information from the northern county of Finnmark were gathered from personal interviews. When the source of reported information was known, relevant data were gathered such as the date, locality and exact position of the obser- vation, and any details which would help deter- mine the age and sex of the animals (Table 1). When the source was unknown, the Institute of 28 I . Gjertz et al. Fig. 1 . Location of 53 observations of walruses (including 18 possible resightings and 1 dead walrus) along the Norwegian coast 1967-1992. Marine Research was given as the source. If the observation dates were unknown, the dates of the published sources were given. In cases where the exact month could not be confirmed, a span in months is indicated, for example 03-04 indicates Tdal ObSBnralions 1967 - 1992 obbervalions south o( VestfiMden Observations noCm d VesHjwden Fig. 2. Seasonal and geographic distribution of 34 observations of different walruses along the Norwegian coast 1%7-1992. an unknown day in March or April. When the month was known but not the exact day, question marks have been inserted, for example 8007?? indicates an unknown day in July 1980. Results No walrus observations were recorded in the years 1967 and 1968. Of the total 53 walrus observations recorded (Fig. 1, Table l ) , eighteen were possible resightings and one was of a dead walrus. Thus 34 observations of different walruses were rec- orded in the period 1967-1992. Most of the obser- vations occurred in late winter (January-April) in the area north of Vestfjorden (Fig. 2). The majority (21) of the observed walruses were classified as subadults on the basis of esti- mated tusk length, either from photography or Table 1. List of recorded observations of walruses along the Norwegian coast 1%%1992. Date Locality 690225 6903-04 711220 720131 720220 730324 7304-05 73 spring 770623 Krampenes, V a d a Vardd (city) Gjdsundholmen, Vigra FlakstadvAga, Troms Valderdy, Alesund Storsand, Hammerfest Kiberg, Vardd Hjelmsciya, MAsey Gulgofjord, Tana Position 70"M'N 30"lO'E 7053" 31W5'E 60%" 6 W ' E 6T12" 17'22'E 62'30" 6 W ' E 70"41'N 2325'E 70'18" 31"E 71W'N 24'45'E 7CP40'N 28"36'E Comments Source Adult Adult, possibly same as 690225 18 months old calf Adult Young, tusks 1&15 cm, shot dead Cow, calf and possibly one other animal 3 swimming walrus, possibly same as 7 W . 5 Found dead Aftenposten 690228 Tor Ddvle pen. comm. Sunnmdrsposten 7201 17 Aftenposten 720201 Britsland (1973) Frank Nilsen pers. comm. Line Kettunen pers. comm. Fritz Johansen pers. comm. Bjdrn Klausen pers. comm. Rekstad (1977) Walruses along the Norwegian coast 1967-1992 29 Table 1. Continued Date Locality Position Comments source Bergens Tidende 790830 790816 win?? 8101 19 8103-04 810320 810501 810623 810626 810703 8108?? 820214 82031&13 820323 820401 820412 820417 820428 820704 820807 820808 820810 820814 820819 820822 820824 820906 830920 8403?? 8404?? 840829 850216 850920 8701-02 8905-07 900220 910103 910103 10108 910207 910218 910418 9201 18 920401 920430 Hammerfest (city) Bondbyskjzr, Lebesby Bokkby, Melby Ifjord, Lebesby Fbrlandsfjd. Haugesund Sigerfjord, Hinnby Lyngstad, Nordmere Hvaler, Oslofjorden Oslofjorden Trama Eigerby, Rogaland Oslofjorden Sandby, Langesundsfjd. Brekkestrand, Tromby Lawonjarg, Tana Karlsey, Troms Bbvlg, RennesBy Grunnfjorden, Ringvassoy Sletta N 0 of Rbver Mbkstravl&, Hordaland Eltravlg, Sveio 0lve. Hardangerfjorden Sbre Oyane, 0 s Hjellstad, Raunefjorden Dolvik, Hordaland Hegvik, Lysefjorden Ekofisk, Nordsjwn SkarsvAg, Nordkapp Skarsvlg, Nordkapp Skarsvlg, Nordkapp Grunnfarnes, Torsken Rolvsbya, Mlsoy Breiviklandet, Hasvik Gjessvax, Nordkapp Sifjord, Senja Nervei, Gamvik Myre, VesterAlen Andenes, Andeya Nervei, Gamvik Torhop, Tana SimavAg, Skjervby Smalfjord, Tana Lyngen Eidkjosen, Tromsb 7V40'N 2399'E 70"30'N 26'45'E 66'50'N 1370'E 70"30" 27"E 5995" Y15'E 68'37" 15"u'E 6 2 3 " 7"20'E 59"N 11"E 59YO'N 10W'E 66"30" 12"E 59"N 5"WE 59"10" 10'40'E 5TN Y40'E 5827" 8'51'E 70"30'N 28"30'E 70"Ol'N 19"34' 59'06" 5'43'E 70"02'N 18'57'E 5996'E S"05'E 59"33'N 5'30'E 59"40'N S"23'E 59'59'N 5'46'E W08'N 525'E W15'N 1S'E W19'N S"15'E 59'" 623'E 56"N 2"40'E 71"07'N 25%'E 71"07'N 25"46'E 71'07" 25'46'E 69%" 16"58'E 70%" 24"E 70"U)'N 22'11'E 7lo06'N 2521'E 69"15'N 1T05'E 70"40'N 27"52'E 68%" 15'03'E 69"19'N 16"lS'E 70"40'N 27"52' 70"30'N 28"E 70"N 21"E 70"26'N 28TI3'E 69"50'N 30"E Adult male Only one 20 cm tusk Two 20 cm tusks Tusks 15-2Ocm Subadult Subadult, possibly same as 810626 Subadult Subadult male Possibly same as 820214 Subadult, tusks 10cm. possibly same as 820214 Subadult, possibly same as 820214 Tusks aprx. 20 cm Subadult, possibly same as 820214 Tusks 10-15 cm Possibly same as 820906 Possibly same as 820906 Tusks 20 an, possibly same as 820906 Possibly same as 820906 Possibly same as 820906 Possibly same as 820906 Possibly same as 820906 Subadult male, shot Subadult male, tusks 20 cm Two year old calf Possibly cow and two year old calf. Same as 8403?? Two year old calf, same as 8403?? This calf stayed in the area until 860428 Tusks present Tusks 10-12 cm Tusks 10-20 cm Tusks 50 cm Adult male Tusks 30 cm, on shore Adult male, possibly same as 910103 Tusks 15-20cm Possibly same as 910207 Adult male Subadult Two animals Subadult Olav 0.01sen pers. comm. Nordlands Framtid 810119 Roald Erlandsen pers. comm. Haugesund Avis 810321 Institute of Marine Research Lofotposten 810630 VG 810625 VG 810626 VG 810703 Institute of Marine Research Stavanger Aftenblad 820304 Mathiasson (1983) Institute of Marine Research Agderposten 820401 Dagbladet 820403 Per Aleksandersen pers. comm. VG 820417 Stavanger Aftenblad 820428 Nordlys 820708 Institute of Marine Research Institute of Marine Research Institute of Marine Research Bergens Tidende 820816 Bergens Tidende 820820 Bergens Tidende 820824 Bergens Tidende 820825 Bergens Tidende 820906 Stavanger Aftenblad 830920 Sunmbrsposten 830920 Alfon Slettvold pers. comm. Dagbladet 840829 Dagbladet 840829 VG 840829 Alfon SletWold pers. comm. Nordlys 850216 Rolf Hesjevik pen. comm. Hlkon Holst-Olsen pen. comm. Dagfinn Jensen pen. comm. Nordlys 900220 Dagbladet 900220 Institute of Marine Research Institute of Marine Research Andbyposten 9101 10 Finnmarken 910207 Eivind Pettersen pers. comm. Nordlys 910418 Finnmarken 920121 Norwegian Radio (NRK) local transmission VG 920502 30 I . Gjertz et al. personal comments from the observers. Nine walruses were classified as adults, two of which were females with calves. The remaining four were unclassified due to insufficient information. Discussion According to Brun et al. (1968) at least 31 walrus observations were recorded along the Norwegian coast in the period 1900-1967. Eighteen of these were observed after 1950, and it was suggested that this increase was due to the ban on walrus hunting which was passed in the 1950s by both Norway and the USSR. These 18 observations plus the 34 observations of our study for the period after 1967 give a total of 52 (approximately 80%) of the 65 walrus observations along the coast of mainland Norway after 1950. Born (1988) hypothesized that this increase has been caused by a combination of climatic changes and a popu- lation increase in the Western Soviet Arctic and the Svalbard region. In the years since 1967 human living patterns, particularly along the coastal areas of northern Norway, have changed. Large tracts of the north- ern coasts are now more or less uninhabited. The once large coastal fishing fleet has also been sig- nificantly reduced in size. This implies that fewer people frequent the more isolated parts of the coasts. The increasing number of walrus obser- vations in recent years, possibly through lesser effort, i.e. fewer observers, therefore suggests that the number of walruses is increasing. It is also important, however, to remember that an increased public interest in conservation and wild- life may have been responsible for a higher inci- dence of walrus observations reaching the media. According to Brun et al. (1968) the months with most sightings of walruses on the Norwegian coast were July and October. We, however, found that most of the observations were recorded in late winter. The reason for this apparent seasonal shifting is not clear. Most of the observations from our review for the period from January- April are from northern Norway. The nearest known walrus habitats are found in the area from the White Sea to Kolguev in northern Russia and the Svalbard coastal areas. According to Boloborodov & Timoshenko (1974) the walruses are found at Kolguev in January and February, implying that this is a wintering area. Some walruses could easily swim the relatively short distance to northern Norway, which would explain the large number of observations from January to April. It is known that walruses often make swift long journeys in autumn and winter from Svalbard to the neighboring Frans Josef Land (Wiig & Gjertz 1991). They should there- fore have little difficulty in swimming to mainland Norway. The apparent increase in the number of walruses, at least in the Svalbard regions (Gjertz & Wiig 1992), may be responsible for the increase in the number of walruses visiting the coast of mainland Norway at this time of the year. Several authors have discussed the possible ori- gin of extralimital walruses sighted in European waters (Ritchie 1921; Jensen 1927; Brun et al. 1968; Born 1988). Ritchie (1921) and Jensen (1927) hold that walruses observed in the U.K. and northern Europe come originally from Greenland. As most of the observations in Nor- way are from the northern coasts, it is most likely that these animals come from northern Russia or Svalbard (Brun et al. 1968; Born 1988). We have used information on tusk lengths to indicate the sex and age of the animals (see Fay 1982). Based on this criterion, 21 of the 34 dif- ferent walruses observed were considered to be subadults; nine adults of which four were males. Only two adult females had been observed. The difficulty in distinguishing between females and subadult males may bias these results. However, Mercer (1967) found no females among the extra- limital walruses recorded in Newfoundland. Simi- larly Ritchie (1921) and Brun et al. (1968) found a predominance of males among the walruses recorded in their reviews. It is therefore possible that extralimital migrations are affected by sexual differences in behaviour (see Greenwood 1983). By comparison we seem to have recorded fewer adult males and more sub-adult animals than Brun et al. (1968). This may be due to inaccuracies in the estimations of tusk lengths. Due to the increasing numbers of walruses in the Barents Sea area and an increased awareness and interest among the public, we expect the number of extralimital sightings of walruses vis- iting the Norwegian coast to increase in coming years. References Beloborodov, A. G. & Timoshenko, L. K. 1974: In defence of the Atlantic walrus. Priroda 3.97-99 (Trans]. Ser. Mar. Sew. Can. 3812 (1976)). Walruses along the Norwegian coast 1967-1992 31 Born, E. W. 1988: Hvalrosstrejfere i Europa. Flora og Fauna (Arhus) 94, 9-14. Born, E. W. 1992: Odobenus rosmarus Linnaeus, 1758 - Walross. Pp. 268-299 in Duguy, R. & Robineau, D. (eds.): Handbuch der Saugeriere Europar. Band 6: Meersauger, Teil 11: Robben - Pinnipedia. AULA-Verlag, Wiesbaden. Brun, E., Lid, G. & Lund, H. M. K. 1968: Hvalross, Odobenus rosmarus, pA norskekysten. Fauna (Oslo) 21,7-20. Collett, R. 1912: Norges panedyr. H. Aschehoug & Co., Kri- stiania. Fay, F. H. 1982: Ecology and biology of the Pacific walrus. Odobenus rosmarus divergens Illiger. U.S. Fish. Wildl. Ser. Norrh A m . Fauna 74, 1-279. Gjertz, I. & Wiig, 0. 1992: Feeding of walrus Odobenus ros- marus in Svalbard. Polar Rec. 28, 57-59. Greenwood, P. J. 1983: Mating systems and the evolutionary consequences of mating. Pp. 116-131 in Swingland, 1. R. & Greenwood, P. J. (eds.): The ecology of animal mouemen?. Claredon Press, Oxford. Jenson, A. S. 1927: Hvalrossen ved Skagen og dens van- dringsveje. Narurens Verden (JuniJuli) , 1-5. Lund, H. M. K. 1954: The walrus (Odobenus rosmarus (L.)) off the coast of Norway in the past and after the year 1900, together with some observations on its migrations and “cruis- ing s p e e d . Astarre 8, 1-12. Mathiasson, S. 1983: Valrossen-sHUsynt, kulturhistoriskt inter- essant arktisk past vid Vastkusten. Fauna och flora (Srock.) 78, 253-261. Mercer, M. C. 1%7: Records of the Atlantic walrus, Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus, from Newfoundland. J . Fish. Res. Bd. Canada 24, 2361-2634. Norderhaug, M. 1%9: Hvalrossens (Odobenus rosmurus) fore- komst i Svalbardomridet 1960-1%7. Norsk Polarins?. Arbok 1%7, 146-150. Nores, C. & Perez, C. 1988: The Occurrence of walrus (Odo- benus rosmarus) in southern Europe. 1. 2001. (Lond.) 216, 593-5%. 0ritsland. T. 1973: Walrus in the Svalbard area. IUCN Pub- lications New Series Supplementary Paper 39, 59-68. Rekstad, A. 1977: Dsd hvalross i Gulgofjorden, Finnmark. Fauna 30, 238. Ritchie, J. 1921: The walrus in British waters. Scottish Naruralis? Timoshenko, Yu. & Popov, L. A. 1990. On predatory habits of Atlantic walrus. Pp. 177-178 in Fay, F. H., KeUy, B. P. and Fay, 9 . A. (eds.): The ecology and management of walrus populations. Marine Mammal Commission Report PB91-100479, Washington. Wiig, 0. & Gjertz, I. 1991: Satellite telemetry of walrus at Svalbard. Abstract, Ninth Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, December 5-9, 1991, Chicago. (1921), 5-9, 77-86.