The research institute, located in Ås close to Oslo, is the national leading centre of expertise in biosecurity in fish and terrestrial animals. The institute’s experts in pathology and wild animal health will investigate the walrus, as a post-mortem was requested by the Institute of Marine Research in cooperation with the Directorate of Fisheries.

The Norwegian Veterinary Institute has extensive experience in post-mortem examinations of wild animals. A post-mortem aims to uncover the general state of health of the animal and to examine any lesions or disease related pathological changes.

As part of the post-mortem, various biological samples will be collected and processed by experts at the institute. In this case, also a dietary analysis will be carried out, in order for the Institute of Marine Research to carry out further research. Read more here.

An examination will normally take approximately 14 days from the examination until a report is finished.

After having secured all necessary samples, it is standard protocol at the Institute to destroy all biological remains for biosecurity reasons.