LOOK
WHEN YOU
Walrus Skull
When you look at this walrus skull, you see Humanity
The ancient arctic indigenous people, mainly the Inuit, viewed animals as other-than-human persons, causing a respectful relationship with the walrus population. The Inuit relied on the walrus for food and resources, and some cultural practices and folklore were based around walruses. On the other hand, other groups lacked respect in the human-walrus relationship. The Norse (Vikings) exploited the walruses for their ivory tusks in order to make themselves relevant in the global economy and the booming materialistic culture of the 13th century. Then, in the 19th century, European Whalers turned to the walruses as an alternate source of blubber. Both the Norse and the Whalers caused the walrus population to decrease dramatically.
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Today, we are still putting pressure on the walrus population, and this pressure has the potential to negatively affect the ecosystem on a major scale through climate change. The history of the human-walrus relationship has been complex and diverse, but the future for these animals might not be as rich. The walruses have done a lot to help us, and now it’s time for us to do something to help them.
Photo Credit for swimming walrus picture:Paul Nicklen https://www.pinterest.com/pin/478577897875689334/