In an unusual story from Norway, visitors at the Oslo fjord was warned not to get too close to a five-year-old, 1,320 lb walrus (give or take…) who chose to sunbathe there.
The walrus, named Freya by someone, had a crowd of fans. The selfie-with-a-walrus takers refused to listen to authorities who felt that the walrus could be unpredictable and could cause harm to the onlookers,
On Sunday, Norwegian authorities euthanized Freya, to reportedly protect the public.
They had entertained the idea of moving her, but decided that her life would be threatened by a relocation. One way or the other, she was doomed.
Officials said the human visitors were stressing Freya out. They were afraid she would become aggressive.
They said it was a last resort, and the decision to kill Freya, humanely they said, was made based on an “assessment of the continued threat to human safety,” a Sunday statement from the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries read.
The Director General of Fisheries, Mr. Frank Bakke-Jensen, said, “Through on-site observations the past week it was made clear that the public has disregarded the current recommendation to keep a clear distance to the walrus. Therefore, the Directorate has concluded, the possibility for potential harm to people was high and animal welfare was not being maintained.”
“We have considered all possible solutions carefully,” Bakke-Jensen said in a statement. “We concluded that we could not ensure the animal’s welfare through any means available.”
The first sighting of Freya was in 2019. She had also traveled in her short life to the UK, Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands.
She became famous when she partially capsized boats, in Frognerkilen Bay in Oslo.
So, she was becoming a problem for the area.
They couldn’t hire police or guards to hold the crowds back, like some other countries did?
In the wild, walruses can live up to 40-years-old. Freya’s life was cut short, proving again that living close to human populations can be dangerous.
“We have sympathies for the fact that the decision can cause reactions with the public, but I am firm that this was the right call,” Bakke-Jensen said. “We have great regard for animal welfare, but human life and safety must take precedence.”
