(Oslo) The Norwegian authorities announced Thursday that they are considering euthanizing the walrus Freya, which has become a summer star in the Oslo fjord to the point of putting the lives of the public and the animal in danger.
Posted at 2:40 p.m.
Despite constant pleas to stay away and not disturb the mammal, Freya, a young female weighing some 600 kilos, continues to attract a lot of attention, the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries explained in a press release with, at the support, a photo showing a crowd of onlookers in the immediate vicinity of the walrus.
“The reckless behavior of the public and the non-compliance with the recommendations of the authorities can put lives in danger”, underlined a spokesperson for the Directorate of Fisheries, Nadia Jdaini.
“We are now exploring additional measures among which euthanasia can be a real alternative,” she added.
Walruses typically live in even more northern Arctic latitudes, but Freya, whose name refers to a goddess associated with love and beauty in Norse mythology, has been bathing in the capital’s waters since July 17 .
Having become a star in the summer torpor, the animal has been filmed chasing birds or climbing on boats swaying under its weight to doze there (a walrus can sleep up to 20 hours a day), doing damage in the process. significant.
But, despite the instructions, the animal continues to be bothered by curious people who bathe nearby or approach it excessively, sometimes with children, to photograph it, said the Fisheries Department.
“His well-being is clearly diminished. The walrus does not have enough rest and the experts with whom we are talking now believe that it is stressed, “said Mr.me Jdaini.
A protected species, the walrus feeds mainly on invertebrates such as molluscs, shrimps, crabs and small fish.
Although he does not normally attack human beings, he may, according to the authorities, feel threatened by unwelcome people and attack them.