Thor the walrus noticed on Iceland coast following go to to the UK

A walrus that visited the south and east coasts of England in December has now been noticed on a floating pier in east Iceland

By Carissa Wong

A wandering walrus nicknamed Thor has arrived in east Iceland following a current go to to the UK.

The hefty mammal visited the Netherlands and Dieppe in northern France final yr earlier than he was noticed on the south coast of England round mid-December. He turned a sensation as a result of walruses are uncommon guests to the UK. He later travelled north to Scarborough, a city on the east coast of England, the place native individuals cancelled New 12 months’s Eve fireworks to keep away from distressing him.

Thor arrived on the Icelandic fishing city of Breiðdalsvík on 24 February, the place he turned his nostril up at frozen fish supplied by a harbour guard, in keeping with the Icelandic Nationwide Broadcasting Service, RUV.

As within the UK, he has drawn the eye of native individuals, who’ve taken pictures of him whereas passing by. Walruses have been as soon as current round Iceland, however the native inhabitants was pushed to extinction centuries in the past.

Though Thor is an “amazing thing to see”, he must be left alone to relaxation in order to not expend power unnecessarily, Rod Downie at conservation charity WWF-UK, advised the BBC.

The walrus is considered an adolescent Atlantic walrus, aged between 3 and 5 years previous, who wandered south from the Canadian Arctic. He’s now considered journeying again north to colder waters, taking rests on the way in which. Totally grown male Atlantic walruses attain lengths of as much as 2.4 metres and weights of as much as 900 kilograms.

“After Thor’s visit to the UK we wondered if we would ever see him again,” a spokesperson from conservation charity British Divers Marine Life Rescue advised the BBC. “We are delighted to have been informed that he is in Iceland.”

Local weather change and over-hunting means walruses are weak to extinction, in keeping with the Worldwide Union for Conservation of Nature. A warming local weather will trigger the melting of Arctic sea ice on which the animals relaxation, breed and provides beginning.