Walrus currently in captivity

This cannot happen. The orcas at SeaWorld SD are stuck there until the die, they cannot be transferred out and none can be transferred in. Only way that would happen is if the ruling is overturned. Stupid AR activists.
This is way off topic question for this thread but is there a possibility the breeding and transfer ban may be reversed one day?
 
This is way off topic question for this thread but is there a possibility the breeding and transfer ban may be reversed one day?
A relevant point (although not for this thread, of course lol): All captive marine mammals used to be illegal in South Carolina. This was partially overturned in 2011 to include only cetaceans, as the Riverbanks Zoo wanted to create a sea lion habitat (very excited that I got to see that being constructed!)

With the killer whale topic, I feel the issue is far too political and heated for anything like that to happen. Even the general public with no strong feelings towards or information about animals either way have been conditioned to be against captive killer whales thanks to decades of highly-funded efforts. I would be completely shocked if the ban was ever overturned. Pinnipeds on the other hand... not as attractive. Not nearly the same emotional fervor around them for them to be granted similar protections.
 
With the killer whale topic, I feel the issue is far too political and heated for anything like that to happen. Even the general public with no strong feelings towards or information about animals either way have been conditioned to be against captive killer whales thanks to decades of highly-funded efforts. I would be completely shocked if the ban was ever overturned

It's too political now for sure. And typical party in CA administration has tended to be willing to listen at least to the AR activists. PETA's heavy campaigning against orcas and SeaWorld in general has been particularly damaging, especially the box of lies known as Blackfish.

Pinnipeds are lucky in that they haven't the same targeting, even though they are slightly restricted under the MMPA.
 
It's too political now for sure. And typical party in CA administration has tended to be willing to listen at least to the AR activists. PETA's heavy campaigning against orcas and SeaWorld in general has been particularly damaging, especially the box of lies known as Blackfish.

Pinnipeds are lucky in that they haven't the same targeting, even though they are slightly restricted under the MMPA.
One could argue that pinnipeds (walruses included -- nay, walruses especially) are underprotected. Even the AZA gives in to public demand with what regulations they force onto their facilities, with examples of habitats and keeper areas in desperate need of updating having to be deprioritized in favor of, for example, a new elephant habitat lest the facility lose their accreditation.

I feel like captivity issues are a personal moral decision and I never want to say to anyone that their morals are right or wrong just because they may be different to mine, but definitely I've been disappointed in the preference of certain animals over others who may need those same protections just as much, if not moreso. Particularly when the "marine mammal" umbrella term is used by the media and other organizations to speak on regulations that only apply specifically to cetaceans alone.
 
Althrough this thread is dealing with Walrus CURRENTLY in captivity I hope I can also place some historical notes of the species here.
By viewing an old video of the Copenhagen Zoo - Danmark there are also 2 young to be seen. I checked Zootierliste and here I found the Zoo had several Walruses in its history and together with additional information I found from other sources this gives us the following list of Walrus kept at Copenhagen :
1906 - 3 young ones catched for the zoo - 1 died during transport, one died at the zoo after a few months and the last one died during the summer of 1906.
1908 - 1 animal - died after a few weeks
1937 - 3 animals - 1 male died 1938, 1 female died 1944 and the last one of this shipment died Nov. 1949.
1949 - another female arrived
1951 - again a female was obtained
1984 till 1987
also its mentioned that the species has been bred at the Zoo.
The video I watched is from 1923 and the animals are not mentioned in any of the sources I've found but maybe an other ZooChatter has some extra information about these ( at least ) 2 animals.
Photo from the video :
copenhagen 1923 walrus.png
 

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On 18 October, 40-year-old walrus Olga died at Dolfinarium Harderwijk. The oldest female of the group was suffering from age-related problems such as osteoarthritis in the shoulders, inflammation of the whiskers and persistent stomach complaints. As a result, the vet decided to euthanise her. Olga came to Harderwijk from SeaWorld Orlando in 1985. In the years she lived at the Dolphinarium, she had two offspring. Her first young, Nikolai, was the first walrus born under human care in Europe. The Dolfinarium now houses three walruses. They will leave for China in due course.

Sources: Facebook Dolfinarium & Dolfinarium Harderwijk in rouw: iconische walrus Olga is niet meer. 'Zachtaardige oma die je wist te raken'
 
In September of 2022, Phil Demers, a former walrus trainer at Marineland, got Marineland to legally agree to send their last two walruses, Smooshi and her son Koyuk, to an AZA accredited facility. Now, the Marineland owners are currently working to sell the park which will hopefully speed up this move. From what I have heard, these two will be transferred to the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Fingers crossed that we might see some babies from Smooshi in the future!
 
In September of 2022, Phil Demers, a former walrus trainer at Marineland, got Marineland to legally agree to send their last two walruses, Smooshi and her son Koyuk, to an AZA accredited facility. Now, the Marineland owners are currently working to sell the park which will hopefully speed up this move. From what I have heard, these two will be transferred to the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Fingers crossed that we might see some babies from Smooshi in the future!

So likely four Walrus at Point Defiance in the future - interesting!
 
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