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Freya, a 1,300-pound walrus that spent the summer lounging on boats and sunbathing on docks in Oslo Fjord, to the delight of many locals, has been killed by Norwegian authorities, who say she was a threat to to human security.
Norway’s Fisheries Directorate said the decision to euthanize the walrus early Sunday local time came after the public ignored repeated warnings to keep their distance from Freya.
“I am adamant that this was the right call. We have great regard for animal welfare, but the lives and safety of people must come first,” said the head of Norway’s fisheries directorate, Frank Bakke-Jensen , in a statement.
The young walrus, nicknamed after the Norse goddess of beauty and love, has been making a splash in the Norwegian capital since mid-July, apparently attracting attention in what some media described as her “summer hot girl”. Verdens Gang, a Norwegian tabloid, set up a 24-hour live camera to film their exploits.
The decision to euthanize Freya sparked an immediate backlash on social media, with many denouncing the decision as a national disgrace. Some raised questions about why authorities didn’t try to move the walrus to a safer area.
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Bakke-Jensen said the transfer of the marine mammal was thoroughly considered, with the help of experts from the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research. Authorities concluded the complexity of the operation meant “this was not a viable option,” he said.
He added that there were “several animal welfare concerns associated with a potential relocation”. He did not elaborate on those concerns.
Freya had also been spotted along the coasts of several European countries in recent months, including Britain, Denmark and the Netherlands. (The young walrus once attached an elevator to a Dutch submarine. So it belonged to the Walrus class of ships.)
Walruses typically live in the ice-covered waters of Canada, Greenland, Norway, Russia and Alaska. There are approximately 25,000 Atlantic walruses and 200,000 Pacific walruses in the wild. They usually rest on the sea ice between feeding periods.
Marine mammals are protected in the United States. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled last year that the Trump administration acted improperly in its decision to deny listing the Pacific walrus as threatened or endangered of extinction in 2017.
As the climate warms, wildlife advocates worry that melting sea ice will cause walruses to rest on land more often, driving them away from their traditional fishing habitats.
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Walruses are also exposed to more shipping, tourism, industry and noise, according to the World Wildlife Fund. Animals are easily frightened and may stampede to try to reach the safety of water.
In a recent video from Oslo, a trio on a Jet Ski stopped at the feet of a boat where Freya was taking a nap, while several onlookers watched from the jetty. Officials released a photo Sunday of dozens of people huddled on a dock at the animal’s feet, their faces blurred for privacy.
“Through last week’s on-site observations it became clear that the public did not take into account the current recommendation to keep a clear distance from the walrus,” Bakke-Jensen said. “The possibility of potential harm to people was high and animal welfare was not maintained,” he added.
Rune Aae, a researcher at the University of Southeastern Norway, who had been tracking the walrus through the Facebook group “Freya the walrus – where is she now?”, criticized Norway’s decision to euthanize Freya as “rushed” and “completely unnecessary”. “.
The school holidays are almost over for the summer, and the curious onlookers who have gathered to watch the walrus in the waters off Norway’s capital will soon disperse, Aae wrote on Sunday.