Orlando facility becomes new home for rescued walrus calf
SeaWorld Orlando has taken custody of a five-month-old Pacific walrus calf that was found orphaned on a remote Alaska beach and rehabilitated at the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward. The calf, named Annautaq, weighs about 220 pounds and completed a roughly 4,000-mile transfer to Central Florida after federal and local wildlife agencies determined he could not be released back into the wild.
Annautaq will join SeaWorld Orlando’s existing walrus group, which includes animals identified by the park as Kaboodle, Garfield and Uki. Uki is a 2-year-old rescue that SeaWorld has said has a story similar to Annautaq’s.
How the calf was found and cared for in Alaska
The calf was discovered by Violet Anniskett, a wildlife research intern, together with U.S. Geological Survey scientist Tony Fischbach on a northern Alaska beach after heavy surf had driven the adult walrus herd away. According to SeaWorld and the Alaska SeaLife Center, the orphan had been sheltering between the remains of two adult walruses and was cared for briefly by members of the herd before rescuers arrived.
Rescuers transported the calf to the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward, where staff provided intensive, species-specific rehabilitative, husbandry and veterinary care in preparation for the transfer to SeaWorld Orlando. SeaWorld sent animal care and veterinary personnel to Alaska to assist in stabilizing and preparing Annautaq for the long journey.
“When an orphaned walrus calf is found in a remote part of the state, a successful response depends on being able to move quickly from rescue to intensive, species specific rehabilitative, husbandry and veterinary care,” said Jane Belovarac, wildlife response curator at the Alaska SeaLife Center.
Federal finding and implications for release
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reviewed Annautaq’s case and determined he could not be released into the wild. Officials noted that Pacific walrus calves depend heavily on their mothers during the first year for milk, protection and learning necessary social and survival behaviors. That dependency, combined with the calf’s early separation from the herd, informed the decision to move him to a managed care setting.
SeaWorld described the transfer as a continuation of care, with the park integrating Annautaq into a managed social group and ongoing veterinary oversight. SeaWorld has not outlined a public timeline for public viewing or for specific long-term plans beyond care and social integration with the park’s walrus animals.
Local context and what Orlando residents should know
SeaWorld Orlando’s acceptance of Annautaq highlights the park’s role in accepting and caring for rescued marine mammals. For residents and visitors, the arrival adds to the park’s roster of rescued animals and underscores collaborative rescue efforts that span state and federal agencies, nonprofit rehabilitation centers and private facilities.
- Animal: Pacific walrus calf, named Annautaq
- Age/Weight: Five months old, about 220 pounds
- Journey: Rehabilitated in Seward, Alaska; transported roughly 4,000 miles to SeaWorld Orlando
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Name | Annautaq |
| Species | Pacific walrus |
| Age / Weight | 5 months / 220 pounds |
| Distance to Orlando | Approximately 4,000 miles |
The calf’s name, Annautaq — pronounced “ah-now-tuq” — was chosen by the intern who discovered him, Anniskett, in honor of her father’s name and means “axe” in Iñupiaq. SeaWorld and Alaska SeaLife Center officials said the rescue and transfer involved coordination with community members and federal wildlife officials.
For now, Annautaq’s arrival is primarily a story of interagency rescue and cross-country rehabilitation, with SeaWorld Orlando taking on responsibility for the animal’s ongoing care and social development among the park’s walrus residents.
