Tributes pour in after baby walrus that needed constant cuddles dies

A touching tribute has been made after a baby walrus that required constant cuddles after being rescued from an Alaskan oil field died at around one month old.

“We are heartbroken to share that the walrus calf admitted to the ASLC Wildlife Response Program on August 1, 2023, passed away this morning after his condition took a turn for the worse,” the Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC) said in a statement Friday.

The calf, found miles from the ocean on Alaska’s North Slope, had been suffering “a number of serious health concerns,” including nutrient malabsorption, according to the ASLC.

The organisation’s director of animal health said the animal also suffered with hypoglycemia and gastrointestinal problems in the hours leading up to his death.

“Though our animal care teams worked tirelessly to provide round-the-clock critical care treatments, never leaving his side, the calf ultimately succumbed to his condition,” the ASLC statement continued.

Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter“We are heartbroken to share that the walrus calf admitted to the ASLC Wildlife Response Program on August 1, 2023, passed away this morning after his condition took a turn for the worse,” the Alaska SeaLife Center said.

An examination of its death is planned for the days ahead.

“While often rewarding, wildlife rescue is inherently unpredictable and comes with it the possibility of great loss. For those that dedicate their lives to animal care, this is the hardest part of the job,” the ASLC said.

He was the ASLC’s first walrus in four years and only the 10th in its 25-year history.

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