A Wayward Walrus Cared for by UK Locals

Photo: Luke Mckell

Usually, stories of wildlife wandering far from their usual homes, especially into densely populated areas don't have happy endings.

But in 2022, a young male walrus affectionately named Thor, was treated with great kindness as he made an unexpected journey across the coast of England. When he stopped in Scarborough Bay during New Year's, the town elected to cancel it's firework display so that he could rest and recover.

Thor is believed to have wandered south from the Canadian Arctic, where walruses congregate in large numbers. Although walruses do migrate during spring and summer, it is incredibly rare for one to journey so far south. Wildlife biologists' hope that Thor would eventually make his way back to a more suitable home seemed to come true as he departed England around three months later, and was later seen off the coast of Iceland.

---

Maned Wolf

(Chrysocyon brachyurus)

The Maned Wolf, although it looks like a fix on stilts, is neither a fox...or a wolf. This strange South American canid, despite it's intimidating size, supplements it's diet of small prey with a significant amount of fruits and vegetables.

These confusing canids are incredibly elusive, and there are still many aspects of their life which we continue to learn more about. They had previously been believed to be almost entirely solitary, but have now been observed to spend significant time with their mates, perhaps even well past mating season. The Maned Wolf's unusually long legs are actually well adapted to their environment, helping them to see above the tall grasses of Brazil. and communicates with a unique "roar-bark".

Although once feared as a danger to livestock, Maned Wolves have been shown to pose little threat, and changing the perception of them in their home ranges will be critical to conserving them.

---

Conserving the Very Last Northern Jaguars

Although they are most commonly associated with Central and South America, small populations of jaguars still hang on in the far north of Mexico, even occasionally crossing into the United States.

In the 19th century, of North America, their range still extending as far north as Colorado. But over the last two centuries, the jaguar has been essentially eliminated from the United States, and very nearly eliminated in northern Mexico as well. Poaching and habitat loss have brought northern jaguar populations to the brink of extirpation, but the Northern Jaguar Project is working hard to protect them.

This organization manages the Northern Jaguar Reserve, a massive biological preserve where jaguars remain safe from the threats that have nearly wiped them out in nearby areas. They are a model of collaborative conservation, working alongside ranchers, landowners, and biologists to develop a lasting solution with the potential to grow.

Thanks to the Northern Jaguar Project, more than 56,000 acres of northern Mexico is now free for jaguars to roam, form territories, and live as they are intended to.

Learn more about the Northern Jaguar Project here.