Walruses

Huge, blubbery and a bit grumpy. Walruses are easy enough to spot. But thanks to their remote Arctic location, they're hard to count, and we don't know how many of these giant beasts there are. Now, using satellite images, the plan is to locate every Atlantic and Laptev Sea Walrus, and scientists say this is essential because climate change means these animals are under threat. Today, though, the most advanced imaging satellites can see details down to just 30 centimetres. This has transformed our view of the natural world. Even at that resolution, counting walruses is still a challenge. So scouts from East Molesey have been drafted in to help. The first job was scouring a search area of 25,000 square kilometres to find any images that had a walrus in it. It's quite hard because there are, like, rusty barrels and rocks that look really similar. It's kind of a challenge as well, because they're all hidden, and you have to try and search for them. But the project is going to need a lot more people to help with the count. The future is uncertain for this icon of the Arctic. Their icy home is changing faster than anywhere else on the planet. But now, with satellite technology and the help of the public, we should finally find out how many walruses there are, and see how they fare in the years to come.