ABSTRACT
As with all wild animals, to understand the medicine and husbandry of the walrus, one must understand its biology and ecology. Fay (1982) reviewed the ecology and biology of the Pacific walrus (
Odobenus rosmarus
), and additional reports describe its physical and biological characteristics (Brooks, 1954; Mansfield, 1958; Reeves, 1978; Ridgway and Harrison, 1981). Relatively few walruses are maintained in display facilities. In the past, walruses on display at zoological parks and aquaria were obtained as young orphans from the Arctic. During the spring migration, a number of calves are orphaned by accidents, weather, and hunting, and the majority of these die as a result of starvation and predation. A small number are recovered and sent to zoological facilities (Samansky and Sieswerda, 1995). Veterinary care has focused around hand-rearing (see Chapter 37) and treatment for tusk and gastrointestinal problems usually associated with ingestion of foreign bodies.
