Ireland seeks peace for Wally the Walrus – POLITICO
The Irish government wants the public to leave Wally the Walrus alone.
The 800-kilogram walrus has become a celebrity since it landed on the coast of Cork earlier this month, at least 2,500 kilometers southeast of its usual Arctic habitat.
It capsized at least two anchored ships and damaged several others while seeking refuge in the local equivalent closest to sea ice.
Wildlife officials have asked people to stop reporting sightings of the walrus on social media, saying the resulting swarms of bystanders are getting dangerously close and unnecessarily stressing the animal. His curiosity has been increased by photographs of the twin-fanged beast that appears living room On Tuesday at the wheel of a motorboat anchored in the port of Crookhaven.
in a government statement, Minister of State Malcolm Noonan said he understood why “a lot of people are excited about the presence of a walrus on the Irish coast”, but too many people were putting themselves in Wally’s face.
“It’s up to people to follow and have consideration for this poor wild animal,” Noonan said, using Irish slang to “be smart.”
“Leave him alone,” he said. “If you have to go see it, use binoculars.”
The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group said the walrus needed to rest before making the long-awaited journey back to its normal habitat off Greenland.
The environmental group said Wally appears to be in a epic homecoming loop after being seen earlier this summer off the coast of Britain, France and Spain.
The group’s sighting officer, Pádraig Whooley, said Wally didn’t need to be rescued or helped, just for the paparazzi to give him peace.
“This walrus has it really easy right now,” Whooley said. “You don’t have to look over your shoulder for polar bears.”
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