A 14-year-old whiskered walrus gave birth at SeaWorld Orlando on June 3, marking the first time a baby walrus was born at the Orlando facility.
During the pregnancy, the park’s animal husbandry and veterinary teams “provided extensive pre-natal care and regular ultrasounds,” the park said in a release. Neither the calf nor its mom is on public display.
Walruses aren’t listed as a threatened species, but warm temperatures and a thinning ice pack have impacted their habitat. Since commercial hunting was outlawed, walrus populations have become stable.
Walrus calves are born with “robust whiskers which aid in detecting the shellfish that are part of their diet,” according to the release.
