1 year ago
106 A walrus that visited the southbound and eastbound coasts of England successful December has present been spotted connected a floating pier successful eastbound Iceland
Life 27 February 2023By Carissa Wong
Thor the wandering walrus has resurfaced successful Iceland astir 2 months aft helium was past spotted successful the UK Elis Petur / SWNS
A wandering walrus nicknamed Thor has arrived successful eastbound Iceland pursuing a caller sojourn to the UK.
The hefty mammal visited the Netherlands and Dieppe successful bluish France past twelvemonth earlier helium was spotted connected the southbound seashore of England astir mid-December. He became a sensation due to the fact that walruses are uncommon visitors to the UK. He aboriginal travelled northbound to Scarborough, a municipality connected the eastbound seashore of England, wherever section radical cancelled New Year’s Eve fireworks to debar distressing him.
Thor arrived astatine the Icelandic sportfishing municipality of Breiðdalsvík connected 24 February, wherever helium turned his chemoreceptor up astatine frozen food offered by a harbour guard, according to the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service, RUV.
As successful the UK, helium has drawn the attraction of section people, who person taken photos of him portion passing by. Walruses were erstwhile contiguous astir Iceland, but the section colonisation was driven to extinction centuries ago.
Although Thor is an “amazing happening to see”, helium should beryllium near unsocial to remainder truthful arsenic not to expend vigor unnecessarily, Rod Downie astatine conservation foundation WWF-UK, told the BBC.
The walrus is thought to beryllium an teen Atlantic walrus, aged betwixt 3 and 5 years old, who wandered southbound from the Canadian Arctic. He is present thought to beryllium journeying backmost northbound to colder waters, taking rests connected the way. Fully grown antheral Atlantic walruses scope lengths of up to 2.4 metres and weights of up to 900 kilograms.
“After Thor’s sojourn to the UK we wondered if we would ever spot him again,” a spokesperson from conservation foundation British Divers Marine Life Rescue told the BBC. “We are delighted to person been informed that helium is successful Iceland.”
Climate alteration and over-hunting means walruses are susceptible to extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. A warming clime volition origin the melting of Arctic sea crystal connected which the animals rest, breed and springiness birth.
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