It hasn’t been that long since Wally was on his European tour last summer – but now there’s another walrus around.
A large walrus – nicknamed Thor – was spotted resting on a beach near Southampton yesterday in a rare UK sighting.
The marine mammal was seen snoozing on the shoreline of the Solent on the south coast after travelling from Europe.
Many were naturally keen to get a photo of the unusual visitor, but people were warned to keep their distance.
Walruses are protected from being disturbed under UK law, and as they travel very long distances they need some time for rest and relaxation.
Staff from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDLMR) have been at the scene alongside the coastguard, with medics checking on the large mammal.
A spokesman from the BDMLR said: ‘Key advice is being issued to everyone to give the walrus a very wide berth to avoid disturbing it.
‘They travel long distances and have rest stops to recover and regain energy before moving on again.
‘Every time it is disturbed by people being too close or noisy will impact it’s chances of survival. Walruses are protected from disturbance under UK law.
‘Of course we do not know how long Thor will be around the UK, but while he/she is here we ask everyone to behave sensibly and responsibly for their safety as well as that of the walrus to avoid a worst case scenario occurring.’
Fisherman Darren Mckell was out with his wife Caroline and son Luke in the early hours when they saw the ‘big lump’ at Calshot beach, Hampshire, on Sunday morning.
‘Seeing the walrus was a double-take moment’, Mr Mckell, 49, said.
The fisherman, from nearby Holbury, said he thought it was a seal at first.
Walruses tend to live in and around the Arctic circle and it is rare for them to come this far south.
Thor was last spotted in the Netherlands on November 6, however, and has been travelling along the coast of France as far as Brittany in the last few weeks.
Last year, two walruses visited the UK – Wally, who came to south Wales, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, and Freya, who visited Northumberland and Shetland.
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