Thousands of walruses are gather on Alaska’s northwest coast, this is a sign that the Arctic sea ice environment has been changed. Chad Jay, a U.S. Geological Survey walrus researcher, said Wednesday that about 3500 walruses were near Icy Cape on the Chukchi Sea, this is about 140 miles southwest of Barrow. Walruses cannot swim for an extended period of time, they must rest often between feedings. They can dive up to 630 feet for their food but on the average only dive up to 330 feet. About 6,000 walruses gathered on the shore of Alaska in the fall of 2007 which took the scientist by surprise. Jay said, “This is actually all new, they did this in 2007, and it’s a result of the sea ice retreating off the continental shelf.” The Center for Biological Diversity has petitioned to list the Pacific walrus as endangered or threatened because of their habitat is diminishing due to the warming. The USGS researchers plan to head to the Chukchi coast next week to place satellite tags on possibly 30 animals to study in depth their foraging habits. The 2007 herds started the researchers to study the animals habits last year, but partial ice floating apart from the main pack ice kept most the walruses off shore, the reappearing put the research at a full speed ahead.
I don’t feel that my emotion on this story has changed from one point to another, I have always had this deep wondering and concern of our climate, and how the green house affect is going to affect my children and their children.
This article on Fox14 has reassured my fears in the future for my children and grandchildren, I unlike most of my family members do not have the concept of what happens after I am gone isn’t going to affect me because I won’t be here. I care, whether I am here or not isn’t the subject, these are my babies that will have to endure. But I do feel a bit better knowing that action has started to help these animals. Russian biologists stated 3,000 to 4,000 walruses out of 200,000 died from being crushed in stampedes. I keep thinking this is from the climate being affected from people not taking care of mother earth. And I find myself wondering if this is happening to animals what is going to happen when it starts affecting humans, will we wait till it is too late to do anything? I honestly believe that people have lost the concept that we only have one world. They believe that Earth as we know it keeps getting better and better with all the new inventions we have came up with. They only make our lives better, but by sorts have caused more harm then good.
Our ancestors were not ignorant to the right way, believe me I am not saying let’s go back to the horse and buggy, but I am saying let’s pay more attention and conserve, share rides to work, collect cans, when you buy a car get a hybrid, and as for the cell phone, well we all know that there isn’t anyone that can live without one, right? Now think about how long we lived without cell phones until that last several years. We have gotten extremely lazy and our future is paying for it.
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It is sad to me with all of the obvious evidence that some people do no believe global warming is happening. Personally I think we should do all we can to conserve and take care of our home (Earth) just as we do our own homes. You wouldn't trash your house or throw away money, but that's exactly what people do when they don't recycle and waste food or any other material things. But alas, in my heart I believe it is to late, and even if it's not eventually the earth will change dramatically, as it has so many times before, and we will join the 90% of species that once lived on this planet but are now extinct. So I say live each day to the fullest and don't worry about the future. You can only do your best, live in the moment, and enjoy every minute of it. The future will be what it will be, and all you have is now, right now. Why waste what precious time you do have with your family worrying about what may or may not happen?
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