A walrus named Frei is a local favorite. People “talked” to him and brought food. Authorities deemed it unsafe.
In Norway, a scandal erupted around the authorities over the killing of the 600-kilogram walrus Freya. The woman spent her last weeks in the Oslofjord and is popular with locals and tourists alike. Writing about it in the NYT.
The animal was spotted on the shore on July 17. It climbed onto boats near the shore and rested on the piers. Many have tried to take a selfie with a walrus. He was then euthanized.
The Norwegian Fisheries Authority said the walrus was euthanized “based on a general assessment of the threat to human safety” after the public ignored warnings not to approach it, often with young children.
In addition, it is common for people to throw things at him and surround him in large numbers. One day, the police had to evacuate and close the bath after Freya chased a woman into the sea.
The service reports that there are too many dangerous situations for people.
“I support the decision to euthanize Freya. It was the right decision. I’m not surprised that it caused a lot of international backlash. Sometimes we have to make unpopular decisions,” said Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stere.
The government added that these animals can be dangerous, so sometimes they have to be destroyed if they do not endanger the safety of the population.
However, animal rights activists disagree with this decision. An animal rights group in Britain believes that people who approach a walrus should first be fined.
And in the Norwegian Nature Conservation Association, the euthanasia decision was called shameful.
Recall that in 2016, taking a selfie with a walrus turned out to be fatal for the photographer and his rescuer.
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Source: korrespondent
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.