Cuddle cure — Baby walrus being cuddled to stay alive

Hugs are all this abandoned baby needs.

An infant walrus found in Alaska is getting constant cuddles to keep him alive.

The 200-pound walrus calf was rescued on Monday, miles from the ocean on Alaska’s North Slope.

It was brought to the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward, the state’s sole mammal rehabilitation facility, on Tuesday.

The 1-month-old, which doesn’t yet have a name, is getting around-the-clock cuddles from workers there who are trying to mimic the almost-constant care the newborn would have received from its mother.

Walrus calves are dependent on their mom until they are 2 years old. However, they are quick to respond to the care of humans and the ASLC reported that the infant, a male, is already drinking formula from a bottle.

He is the center’s first walrus patient in four years, and one of only 10 admitted in the facility’s 25-year history, according to its website.

“We are lucky that his first night went well,” ASLC wildlife response curator Jane Belovarac posted on the site. “It isn’t often that we’re able to admit a walrus calf, but every time we do, we learn more about the species and how to care for them.” 

With Post Wires