The Trump administration has declined to list the Pacific walrus Odobenus rosmarus as endangered... The TerraMar Project originally shared: The Trump administration has declined to list the Pacific walrus Odobenus rosmarus as endangered after deciding that the huge tusked mammals may be able to adapt to the loss of the sea ice that they currently depend upon. The decision wipes out a Fish and Wildlife Service finding in 2011, under Barack Obama’s administration, that the walruses were imperiled by climate change and should be protected under the Endangered Species Act. Walruses are the gentle giants of the Arctic. Weighing anywhere from 1,300 to 3,300 pounds, these massive pinnipeds are well known for their large tusks, which can grow up to 3 feet long. They spend their days diving down to feed on shellfish mostly, and hauling out onto ice packs and beaches to rest. There are 2 sub-populations of Walrus, the Atlantic and the Pacific Walrus. In the 1950's, Walruses were hunted nearly to extinction, but by the 1980's the populations around the world had made a comeback. Currently, populations around the world are believed to be doing well, but are threatened by the effects of climate change on Arctic ecosystems. To learn more about the incredible life in our world's ocean, visit us at: http://ift.tt/XJinpo Photo: Joel Garlich Miller/USFWS/Wikimedia Commons (CC0)#marinelife #walrus #saveourocean #oceanlife #seahope #marinemammals View full size (1600x1067)

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