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After months of critical treatment and recuperation, a rare Pacific walrus calf that was saved as an orphan in Alaska has found a permanent home at SeaWorld Orlando.
When Uki was found to be underweight and dehydrated, she was just a few weeks old. (Photo Credits: Instagram)
Ukiaq, a rare orphaned Pacific walrus calf who is lovingly referred to as “Uki” on social media, is starting a new chapter at SeaWorld Orlando after a spectacular rescue from the Arctic. According to the New York Post (NYP), the walrus calf was found injured and abandoned in the Arctic, and her existence once depended on constant bottle feedings and tenders.
She was just a few weeks old when she was discovered last July, close to the isolated Alaskan settlement of Utqiagvik. She had been abandoned by her herd and was in terrible condition, dehydrated, emaciated, and covered in scars. Her odds of surviving without prompt assistance were low, as walrus calves usually stay with their moms for one to two years.
After being taken by air to the Alaska SeaLife Center (ASLC), specialists began a 24-hour rescue mission. “We watch her signs of improvement with cautious optimism and are pleased to be supported by our partners in providing the best possible care for her and all our wildlife response patients,” Dr Wei Ying Wong, President and CEO of the ASLC, said in a written statement as per NYP.
To simulate the warmth and physical care she would have received from her mother, the crew took on the role of surrogate parents, bottle-feeding her, cleaning up after her, and even holding her as she slept. Two of her caregivers, Diana Hawke and Staci Owens, were important in her early recuperation by offering vital emotional support.
Uki, who is now a healthy 350 pounds, was transported by FedEx to SeaWorld Orlando last fall, where the park’s Wild Arctic team has been providing her with specialised one-on-one care ever since. Only a small number of facilities in North America are qualified to care for walruses like Uki, who are considered unfit for life in the wild, therefore, relocation was required.
“Uki’s journey to SeaWorld Orlando is only the beginning of her new chapter,” SeaWorld Orlando’s vice president of zoological operations, Dr. Joseph Gaspard, also said in the statement.
As part of a plan to progressively smooth her transition, the young walrus has been exposed to her new environment since arriving through sleepovers, scent-based interactions, and brief trips to her new habitat. She will eventually meet the walrus herd at the park, beginning with Kaboodle, a seasoned walrus mother who has successfully raised multiple babies.
Later this month, Uki is anticipated to make her first public appearance, which is anticipated to garner even more admirers and highlight the continued significance of protecting aquatic life.
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