The animal, from a protected species, had settled in the Oslo fjord, in particular in the port facilities. He was shot a few days ago by the authorities in order to protect passers-by. A decision that made waves in the country.
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He has become a symbol. A collection of donations made it possible to collect, on Wednesday August 17, more than 20,000 euros to erect a statue in honor of the walrus Freya, who became a star of the Oslo fjord this summer, but shot down by the authorities on behalf of the protection of passers-by on August 14. An online donation campaign had been launched to raise 200,000 crowns (20,300 euros) to erect a statue in the likeness of the mammal. By midday on Wednesday, this objective was exceeded with more than 206,000 crowns collected.
The decision to kill the 600-kilo young female, from a protected species, has made waves in Norway, where this walrus had conquered the cœurs by climbing onto boats to doze there, even if it means damaging them. The controversy has also spread beyond the borders of the Norwegian kingdom.
“By erecting a statue of the symbol that Freya has become in a short time, we will remind ourselves (and generations to come) that we cannot and should not kill or erase nature when it is ‘in our way’. “
Erik Holm, Norwegian fundraising promoteron the Norwegian website Spleis.no
“The culling of Freya sends extremely negative signals that Norway, and in particular Oslo, is not able to make room for wild animals”explains the Norwegian promoter of the collection, Erik Holm, on the Norwegian site Spleis.no.
Feeding primarily on invertebrates such as molluscs, shrimp, crabs and small fish, the walrus does not normally attack humans, but may react aggressively if threatened.