Newsflash
July 8, 2008 – Lawsuit Filed to Protect Polar Bears and Pacific Walrus From Oil Drilling in Chukchi Sea: Rule Exempting Oil Industry Activities From Marine Mammal Protection Act Challenged
With tusks like an elephant and the body of an overgrown seal, the Pacific walrus is one blubbery beast. This ungainly animal, often gathered en masse on rocky beaches or seen riding ice floes, dives into the water and rhythmically transforms into a wave gliding through the sea. The water-loving giant’s bulk combined with its streamlined, efficient movements seems like a paradox. But the walrus is an agile swimmer, completely at home in its arctic environment.
ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT PROFILE
PROTECTION STATUS: Petitioned 2008
RANGE: Arctic waters of the Bering and Chukchi seas between Alaska and Siberia, as well as the eastern Siberian Sea and western Beaufort Sea
THREATS: Global warming and the recession of arctic sea ice, oil and gas exploration and drilling, habitat disturbances, ocean acidification, and toxic pollution
POPULATION TREND: Current trends indicate that numbers may be declining but exact population figures are unknown.
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SAVING THE PACIFIC WALRUS
During the past decade, global warming has dramatically altered arctic marine ecosystems, particularly by causing significant reductions in the amount of available sea ice. Adversely affected by this trend is the Pacific walrus, which hauls itself out of the water and onto the ice for rest, socialization, giving birth, and nursing young. As the walrus’ icy abode melts away, its habitat is being auctioned off to oil companies to extract more fossil fuels. The Center is working to protect the Pacific walrus from the double-barreled threats of oil development and global warming.
In February 2008, we petitioned to protect the Pacific walrus under the Endangered Species Act, making it the third Arctic species we had sought to protect, following the polar bear and ribbon seal. When the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service failed to respond to our petition, we filed a notice of intent to sue in May.
We've filed suit to overturn regulations issued under the Marine Mammal Protection Act that give the oil industry a blank check to harass walruses in the Beaufort Sea. We are also fighting similar regulations in the Chukchi Sea.
The Center and its allies have successfully blocked efforts by Shell Oil to begin exploratory drilling in the Beaufort Sea; we have since filed suit over plans to lease 30 million acres of walrus habitat in the Chukchi Sea. Given our society’s addiction to oil, virtually all Pacific walrus habitat will be on the auction block in the years to come.
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Contact: Shaye Wolf, Brendan Cummings, or Kassie Siegel
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