Walrus carcasses

Aerial survey drone prepared for flight positioned on the beach near walrus calf carcasses. When sea ice retreats from large regions of the Chukchi Sea large herds of female and young walruses come to shore to rest. If these large herds are disturbed by any number of factors, such as bears or low flying aircraft, the herd may rush in a panic to the safety of the sea. In that rush to safety walruses are often trampled, resulting in injury or death of dozens or even hundreds of predominantly young walruses. Visible in the image is an orange drone that appears to be broad wing fit with two propellers and with two flaps at its base.  Also visible in the images are dead walrus calves lying prone on the fine gravel of the beach.

To understand these trampling events and account for the loss of these walruses within the Stock Assessment process required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, USGS is pioneering survey methods with small drones and satellite imagery.