Wildlife Division says steep state budget cuts prompted cancelling the staffing at Round Island, starting next year.
Back in 1960, seven uninhabited Bristol Bay islands south of Togiak were incorporated into the Walrus Islands State Game Sanctuary. As the name suggests, the sanctuary protects one of the largest terrestrial haulout sites of Pacific walruses in North America. As many as 14,000 mostly male walruses have been counted on Round Island in a single day, though the current average summertime population is closer to 4,000.
The Department of Fish and Game’s Wildlife Division decided last week that it will terminate its Round Island Program, which staffs the sanctuary to monitor the marine mammals and host visitors. The division says this is one of several programs that will be affected by a $450,000 budget cut from state funds.
KDLG’s Dave Bendinger has more:
