P1070052

Is this a good quality exhibit? It looks quite similar in size and appearance to the walrus enclosure at the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma.

It's not too bad, although just like Pt. Defiance's it has been marred by the necessary addition of a protective mesh screen to prevent idiots from tossing objects into the pool.

Unfortunately, the Aquarium has lost both its adult male and 2-year old pup in the past year.

Strange, the 2007 born baby was still there when I've visited the Aquarium in June 2009....
Or do I've seen a ghost ? Uahhh.....

It died from unknown causes yesterday--very sad

Just to be fair to the idiots, these mesh covers are important for preventing leaves and organic debris from blowing into the pool. The walruses have no means to digest such things/

@reduakari. Okay, thats a diffrence...Very sad, first the male, now the baby...It wil be not easy to get a new male for the younger female, the other female is very old and blind and not able to breed anymore.

I have a hard time believing that'd be a serious problem - I have seen walruses twice and other pinnipeds countless times and I can only think of one occasion off the top of my head where any pinnipeds have had a mesh/net roof (Rhenen - and that enclosure appears to be a converted aviary anyway). Occasionally - as at Oceanopolis - seals in entirely indoor enclosures, but always for a particular reason (Oceanopolis has an Arctic seals exhibit with temperatures and ice to match).

Besides, would it not apply equally to lions, wolves and so on? I'm afraid I think this is more about the 'idiots'.

I don't dispute your observations, I only report the reason given by the zoos I have worked at. Usually the visitors are under the net with the animals...the net does not separate idiots from pinnipeds.

If you look closely you'll note the mesh does fully enclose the pool--it is attached to the handrail. Same at Pt.Defiance.

Sad to hear that.

How many viable populations of captive (pacific) Walrus exists in the whole world?

n