Sapiunuk
female Pacific walrus (O. r. divergens)
wild caught in 1963
deceased in 1967
Ancestors and Descendants
No known related animals.
Transfer History
capture 1963 in St. Lawrence Island, Alaska
transfer 1963 to New York Aquarium
death 1967 at New York Aquarium
Physical Data
The dates listed here generally represent the time at which the measurements were published, not necessarily the date on which they were taken.
Weight
1965-Oct-20: 500 lbs
1966: 1,000 lbs
Image Gallery
No images available at this time.
Notes and Information
While I have no specific information on this animal's date of capture, she was collected "in the spring".
Sapiunuk was the first walrus to successfully undergo anesthesia, utilizing a makeshift mask created from a beach ball and a bucket.
This walrus died from an intestinal blockage as a result of ingesting a rubber ball.
References
Dentist recaps walrus's tusks in delicate job at the aquarium. (1964, October 20). The New York Times, p. 39. Retrieved from The New York Times.
New York Zoological Society. (1963). Annual Report of the New York Zoological Society, Vol. 68, pp. 46, 52. Retrieved from Archive.org.
New York Zoological Society. (1966). Annual Report of the New York Zoological Society, Vol. 71, p. 52. Retrieved from Archive.org.
New York Zoological Society. (1967). Annual Report of the New York Zoological Society, Vol. 72, pp. 35, 53-54. Retrieved from Archive.org.