Massive, elusive, and always deserving of respect, the walrus is one of the Arctic's most recognizable animals. For thousands of years, Arctic residents have shared the coastlines and waters of the Arctic with these huge beasts. Often misunderstood by people who have not had first-hand encounters with them, walruses are known to those who share their habitat as somewhat unpredictable creatures, always deserving of caution when encountered. From close encounters with angry walruses, bent on destroying boats and chasing off humans to witnessing the attentive care of a walrus mother with its calf, this book gives readers from outside the Arctic a first-hand look at what life alongside walruses is really like. Aiviq: Life with Walruses features stunning wildlife photography by acclaimed photographer Paul Souders alongside first-hand accounts from people living alongside this enormous sea mammal.
Paul Souders is a professional photographer, travelling around the world and across all seven continents for more than thirty years. His images have appeared around the globe in a wide variety of publications, including National Geographic, Geo in France and Germany and Time and Life magazines, as well as hundreds of publishing and advertising projects. His recent photography work in the Arctic has drawn wide acclaim, including first-place awards at the BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition in 2011 and 2013, the National Geographic Photo of the Year contest in 2013, and Grand Prize in the 2014 Big Picture Competition. Over the last three decades he has visited more than sixty-five countries and has been slapped by penguins, head-butted by walrus, terrorized by lions, and menaced by vertebrates large and small.