INDIANAPOLIS — 2012-10-12 — /travelprnews.com/ — An orphaned male Pacific walrus calf found off the northern coast of Alaska will soon call the Indianapolis Zoo home. He is scheduled to arrive in Indianapolis later this week, and if all goes well with the acclimation to his new home, he could be on exhibit for the public to see sometime later this year.
It is believed the calf was separated from a group of about 1,000 walruses that were sighted passing the Alaskan northern slope of Barrow, Alaska, in mid-July. After the calf was observed alone for several days, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) authorized human intervention. At the time of his rescue, the 250-pound calf was estimated to be 4-6 weeks old — far too young to be without his mother — and suffering from dehydration and lice. In the wild, a walrus calf commonly stays with his mother for at least two years.
Since his rescue, the calf has been in the care of the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward, which provides care for sick and injured marine animals. Almost immediately the calf howed a very curious personality, and the SeaLife Center staff named him Pakak (PACK’-ACK), which means “one that gets into everything” in the northern Alaskan dialect of Inupiaq (ee-NYOOP-ee-ak).
A week after Pakak’s rescue an even younger orphaned male walrus rescue was brought to Seward. The two calves have been living together since late July. Walrus are very tactile and social animals, and the dedicated staff and caretakers at the SeaLife Center provided the social interaction that a walrus calf would otherwise seek from other walruses. As a result, walrus calves almost immediately habituate to human care and therefore are not candidates for release back into the wild following rehabilitation. In addition, the SeaLife Center is it not large enough to be the permanent home to all the rescued wildlife for which it cares.
The Indianapolis Zoo was honored to be selected by the USFWS to be the permanent home for Pakak. Similarly, the New York Aquarium has been selected as the second calf’s new permanent home.
Providing a safe and healthy living environment for rescued wildlife is a prime example of how zoos help make a positive difference in animal welfare and animal conservation.
Among other wildlife rescues currently in the Indianapolis Zoo’s collection are Taz, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin; Ray, a California sea lion; Pepper, a grey seal; and Tak, a harbor seal.
Pakak will go into a mandatory 30-day quarantine once he arrives at the Zoo. This policy applies to all newly acquired animals as a precaution for the protection of all animals at the Indianapolis Zoo.
Indianapolis Zoo babies are presented by Community Health Network.
About the Indianapolis Zoo
Located in White River State Park downtown, the Indianapolis Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the American Association of Museums as a zoo, aquarium and botanical garden. The Indianapolis Zoo empowers people and communities, both locally and globally, to advance animal conservation.
Contact: Jon Glesing
Director of Public Relations
(317) 630-3265
jglesing@indyzoo.com
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