Talk:Walrus attack

Updated proposal: June 2025 walrus kayaking incident (with Outside magazine source)

This updates my January 2026 proposal below with a published source and revised wording.

Conflict of interest disclosure: I am the kayaker involved in the incident described below. I am proposing this addition in accordance with Wikipedia’s conflict of interest guidelines and request that an uninvolved editor review and add the content to the Article page.

Source: The incident has been covered by a reliable, independent source:

• Dapcevich, Madison. "How I Survived a Dangerous Walrus Encounter While Kayaking in Norway." Outside magazine, April 5, 2026.

Rationale: This is a recent, documented example of a walrus–human interaction involving a kayak, consistent with the article’s existing section on attacks involving boats and kayaks. The event is non-fatal but illustrates defensive walrus behavior in proximity to human activity.

Proposed text: In 2025, a walrus-related incident occurred during a guided sea-kayaking excursion near Nordaustlandet Island in Svalbard, Norway. According to Outside magazine, a walrus surfaced beneath a kayak and capsized it, causing the paddler to exit the vessel. The kayaker was rescued shortly afterward by guides using a nearby support boat. No injuries were reported.

Proposed Addition: June 2025 walrus kayaking incident, Svalbard

Conflict of Interest disclosure: I am the kayaker involved in the incident and am submitting this proposed entry. This is my first time proposing to add content to Wikipedia. I welcome feedback from editors.

Context: I would like to suggest the addition of a recent walrus encounter during a guided sea-kayaking excursion in Svalbard. The incident occurred in June 2025 off the coast of Nordaustlandet Island, Svalbard, during Quark Expeditions’ Circumnavigation of Spitsbergen voyage aboard the MV Ultramarine. During the excursion, two adult female walruses accompanied by a juvenile and a calf surfaced near our group of kayakers and displayed defensive behavior, capsizing my kayak. My rescue was completed within a minute by our kayak guide using my overturned kayak as a buffer. No injuries were reported.

This addition is intended to add to the historic record of walrus attacks and provide a recent, non-fatal example of walrus encounters with humans in kayaks. This addition is consistent with the existing section on attacks in boats and kayaks.

Additional Paragraph: In 2025, a walrus incident occurred during a guided sea-kayaking excursion in Svalbard conducted from Quark Expeditions’ MV Ultramarine. Two adult female walruses, accompanied by a juvenile and a calf, surfaced near a group of kayakers and capsized one kayak. The paddler performed a wet exit, and the kayak guide completed the rescue within one minute. No injuries were reported and the kayak was undamaged. — Preceding unsigned comment added by PolarKayaker (talk • contribs) 18:05, 23 January 2026 (UTC)

Hello, are there any reliable sources that have covered your story? As far as I am aware, it is not possible to input personal stories into Wikipedia unless it has been covered in such a source, though this encounter sounds like it would be a good addition otherwise. WinstonDewey (talk) 22:16, 24 January 2026 (UTC)

Done Added the sourced version with minor edits. Great story! Discourses on Livvy (talk · contribs) 21:04, 5 April 2026 (UTC)