Wildlife authorities killed Freya, a walrus who had earned a reputation as a local celebrity in her native Norway after individuals ignored their cautions to keep their distance from the animal.
The recent sightings of Freya in the Oslo Fjord on Norway's southeast coast attracted large crowds of onlookers. She gained notoriety for her propensity to get on boats and sunbathe there, frequently pushing them under due to her 1,300-pound weight.
Norway Officials Euthanize Freya The Walrus
The Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries said they had "observed several potentially dangerous situations" despite urging the public daily to stay away from walruses. According to CNN, people had reportedly been spotted swimming with Freya, tossing things at her, and calling her to the water's edge for pictures. Numerous observers, many of whom were kids, could be seen standing extremely near the sea creature in a picture issued by the directorate.
In a statement, the directorate's general manager, Frank Bakke-Jensen, said that the choice to put Freya to death was based on an evaluation of the overall hazard to human safety. Officials did not specify how the walrus was killed. However, the euthanasia took place in the early hours of Sunday local Norwegian time, during a controlled operation, and following current procedures and rules.
"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," officials said in a statement.
"Therefore, the Directorate has concluded, the possibility for potential harm to people was high and animal welfare was not being maintained," added the officials.
About Freya The Walrus
Although the directors had first claimed that euthanasia was not an option, they subsequently stated that it might become essential if the public's careless actions and failure to heed the authorities' advice persisted. Per BBC News, officials had contemplated moving Freya out. But due to several animal welfare issues and the enormous complexity of such an operation, the directorate concluded that this was not a practical alternative.
Freya's appearance in the area was unique because walruses are indigenous to the Arctic. Freya was thought to be from Svalbard, an Arctic island of Norway that is more than 1,200 miles away from Oslo.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Walruses fall into the category of "vulnerable" species, the next level down from endangered. Although hunting used to be the main hazard to the species, according to the World Wildlife Fund, climate change is now the largest concern.
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