female Pacific walrus (O. r. divergens)

stillborn on May 14th, 1988

Notes and Information

This pup was conceived at SeaWorld San Diego in 1987, and stillborn at the Cincinnati Zoo in 1988, 10 months after Aituk's arrival there. As such, its paternity is unknown, although there are several possibilities:

• Illiyak, wild-caught in 1978 and 9 years old at the time of the pup's conception. Illiyak was living at SeaWorld Aurora from 1979 to 1989; although I have found no official record of transfer from SeaWorld Aurora during that 10-year period, Aurora was a seasonal park, open only 110 days out of the year, with animals being flown in and out from other SeaWorld parks each year. It is therefore plausible, with Aurora's off-season coinciding with walrus mating season, that Illiyak may have been present in San Diego for the conception of this pup.

• Bruiser, wild-caught in 1978 and 9 years old at the time of the pup's conception. Bruiser had been performing at SeaWorld Aurora since 1979, and was transferred from that park to Cincinnati in July of 1987; although I have found no official record of transfer from SeaWorld Aurora during that 8-year period, Aurora was a seasonal park, open only 110 days out of the year, with animals being flown in and out from other SeaWorld parks each year. It is therefore plausible, with Aurora's off-season coinciding with walrus mating season, that Bruiser may have been present in San Diego for the conception of this pup.

• Woofy II, wild-caught in 1967 and 20 years old at the time of the pup's conception. Woofy was a proven bull, having sired five pregnancies when he arrived at SeaWorld San Diego around January or February of 1987.

• Patouk, captive-born in 1978 and 9 years old at the time of the pup's conception. This bull arrived at SeaWorld San Diego in January or February of 1987.

• Wally, wild-caught in 1972 and, if surviving, would have been 15 years old at the time of the pup's conception. While Wally is not excluded from this list for the sake of naming all potential sires, the last record I have been able to find of his existence was in 1975; confirming his continued existence beyond this point has been difficult due to the fact that his name, Wally, became used as a show name for the park's other walruses. I cannot confidently say that he was present at SeaWorld San Diego in 1987, yet at the same time, I cannot confidently say that he was not.

References

• 2018-Jan-08. Lisa Oland. AZA Regional Studbook.

• 2005-Apr-25. Jodie Baker. 2004 North American Regional Walrus Studbook.