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Native America Calling
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Native America Calling: Walrus management in a changing Arctic
Thursday, October 9, 2025

Walrus management in a changing Arctic
An Indigenous anthropologist is embarking on a years-long process to document how Alaska Native hunters are changing their hunting patterns in the face of climate change.

To complicate things, the war in Ukraine is preventing Native researchers from sharing information with their counterparts in Russia, which plays a role in the overall health of walrus herds. In addition to food and other uses, walrus ivory is a significant part of a traditional Native art form.

Tune into Native America Calling to talk with Indigenous people who have a stake in Pacific walruses and are working to protect them.

Pacific Walrus
A Pacific walrus and a pup. Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Guests on Native America Calling
Vera Metcalf (Yu’pik), director of the Eskimo Walrus Commission in Alaska

Eduard Kergytagyn Zdor (Chukchi), cultural anthropologist and postdoctoral fellow at the Arctic Leadership Initiative at the University of Alaska

Leon Misak Kinneeveauk (Iñupiaq), artist and director of the Alaska Art Alliance

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