Transcript:
People across the world are signing up to be online walrus detectives.
They’re scanning hundreds of thousands of satellite images of the Arctic to find and count the blubbery, tusked animals.
Rod Downie is with the nonprofit WWF, which partnered with the British Antarctic Survey to launch the Walrus from Space project.
He says walruses are under threat as human activity in the Arctic increases and climate warming melts the sea ice they use for breeding and resting.
Downie: “Despite being such big, powerful animals, they’re really increasingly vulnerable to climate change as the sea ice is literally melting out from beneath them.”
To study how warming will affect walruses and take action to protect them, scientists need to know how many walruses there are now and where they live.
But the Arctic is vast and remote, and the animals get spooked when people are nearby. So instead of counting them in person, the team asks volunteers to identify them from satellite images.
Downie hopes that this project can help people learn more about the Arctic and feel like they’re making a difference.
Downie: “Having something really practical to do that will contribute towards the science and ultimately contribute towards the conservation of an iconic Arctic species is just a great opportunity.”
Reporting credit: Ethan Freedman / ChavoBart Digital Media
