We last wrote about Wally, the international media star walrus, in mid-July when he was still climbing on boats on the Scilly Isles. Last week, Wally was in Cork, Ireland, sleeping at the helm of a powerboat in the harbor there (see picture above). Now, in this story from the Independent, an Irish government minister is urging the public to leave him alone:
A Government minster has urged the public to “cop on” and leave Wally the Walrus in peace.
The Arctic walrus was first spotted in Ireland off the coast of Valentia Island in March, and has since travelled 4,000km along the coast of western Europe, being spotted in France, Spain and the UK.
He has made many appearances in Ireland throughout the summer, and on Wednesday was spotted in a Cork coastal town, where throngs of people turned out to catch a glimpse as he relaxed on a boat about 500 metres from the harbour.
But conservationists have urged the public to keep their distance, with Green party minister Malcolm Noonan now joining those calls.
He said: “While it’s understandable that many people are excited about the presence of a walrus on the Irish coast, we must remember that this is a wild animal and it should be respected.
“I’m appealing to everyone not to get close and only view it from a distance.
“This is for the animal’s sake, but also for your own, as there may be risks from a water safety perspective where large numbers of people are congregating on the water.
“Walruses are not a protected species under the Wildlife Act, it’s basically the same as a fox or rabbit under the law, so it’s up to people to cop on and have consideration for this poor wild animal, which is a long way from home.
“Leave it alone and if you must go and see it, use binoculars.”
