Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is home to many animals from all around the world. Perhaps its most famous resident was “E.T.,” a Pacific walrus (1982-2015). Beloved by generations of children and adults alike, a statue of him now greets visitors at the front gate.
“E.T.” Walrus Saved in Alaska
E.T. was a Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens). The species ranges from the Bering Strait to the North Pole.
Conoco Oil Company workers at Prudhoe Bay in 1982 were no strangers to wildlife when they discovered that a walrus pup, no more than two months old, had climbed onto their oil rig two miles inland. They drove the animal back out to the beach to reunite it with its mother. One worker thought the animal resembled the alien from E.T. The name stuck.
But two days later, E.T. was back. His mother was nowhere to be found. The walrus was dehydrated, malnourished, and bleeding.
“He was very frightened and not aggressive at all,” rescuer Mike Sparks told the News Tribune on July 18, 2015. “I crouched down and reached over and touched him. He was a quivering a little bit looking at me.”
Wrapping the animal in a raincoat, the team took the pup inside. They tried feeding the walrus, but the pup couldn’t eat solid food yet. Alaska Fish and Wildlife told them E.T. could not survive on its own. “I told them they couldn’t put him down,” Sparks remembered. “This guy deserved a chance at life.” A phone call later, and the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage agreed to take the pup in.
E.T. the Walrus Moves to Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
But the Alaska Zoo could not keep E.T. permanently. With its new Rocky Shores exhibit nearing completion, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium offered to take the orphan pup. The exhibit features marine animals of the Pacific Northwest. E.T. would be right at home.
E.T. arrived in Tacoma on August 17, 1982. Zoo staff nursed the frail walrus back to health. He made his public debut two months later. He became an instant hit alongside Rosie the walrus. Keepers hoped the juvenile pair might breed in the future.
Keeping a growing giant proved more challenging than it looked. A team of keepers, using positive reinforcement, worked with E.T. He proved to be a quick learner. “Working” for his food kept him occupied and engaged, and helped curb his natural aggression.
“It’s like training your dog,” senior staff biologist Lisa Triggs told the News Tribune on June 15, 2012, “It’s just a bigger animal that can squash you.”
E.T. eventually learned dozens of commands. His tricks made him a hit with visitors. The playful and friendly walrus delighted children with his vocalizations, which included roars, barks, whistles, growls, and even a bell sound. He could clap, raise his flipper in greeting and even nod or shake his head to “answer” questions.
It was during one of his frequent performances that I first met E.T. A toddler, the noise freaked me out. But once my mom calmed me down, I realized the ginormous walrus was actually pretty cool. He became a highlight of later visits. I’m sure lots of other visitors can relate.
E.T.’s training also made it easier for keepers to monitor his health. He would willingly climb onto a scale for weekly weigh-ins, open his mouth for teeth cleaning, and even present a flipper for blood draws.
To keep him company—and in hopes of breeding—E.T. shared his pool with several female walruses over the years. While he bonded well with Rosie, Georgie Girl, Andrew (“Andy”), Joan and Basilla, E.T. never became a father.
E.T., however, did help scientists better understand walrus health, diet, and the mechanics of the walrus’s wide range of vocalizations. E.T. ate up to 150 pounds of seafood a day!
Passing of a Tacoma Icon
E.T.’s fame only grew over the decades. The walrus became the face of Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, featuring in advertisements. Generations of children grew up with E.T. and then brought their own children to meet him. In his later years, the walrus even became a YouTube star.
E.T.’s birthday—unknown but believed to be in June—became a special celebration. For his 30th birthday in 2012, the zoo held a three-day party with games and crafts for children. E.T. and his walrus pals enjoyed fishy treats. Thousands attended the event.
But with age came increasing health problems, including osteoarthritis. He suffered a severe gastrointestinal infection in 2014. E.T. bounced back but passed on July 16, 2015, after a surgery to drain an infected abscess in his pharyngeal pouch. He was 33.
Tacoma mourned. “E.T. touched our hearts in a rare and special way,” Andrea Smith, president of the Parks Tacoma’s Board of Commissioners, wrote in a Zoo press release. “Generations of visitors grew to know and love Pacific walruses through this gentle giant.” He educated countless people on the challenges that walruses face in a changing world and the need to protect them.
Biologist Lisa Triggs echoed what countless others thought in another press release: “He was the best walrus ever.”
Honoring E.T. at the Point Defiance Zoo
In 2017, the Zoo Society erected a statue of E.T. Funded mostly by businesses and individuals, Friday Harbor-based sculptor Matthew Gray Palmer created the sculpture.
Located at the front gate of Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, E.T. continues to greet visitors to this day. Be sure to high-five him on the way in for me!