Arthur Greene
After first appearing on the Isles of Scilly off the coast of Ireland in June, Wally the Walrus appears finally to be heading home from his summer holiday.
The British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) confirmed on Tuesday that Wally had left the islands and was most likely beginning his long journey home to Svalbard, a group of islands located between mainland Norway and the North Pole.
But as locals on Scilly can confirm, he has enjoyed the summer of his life.
To get to Scilly, Wally embarked in March on a 4,000 km trip along the coast of western Europe, including Spain, Wales and Cornwall.
For the last two months, he’s caused havoc around the islands, managing to sink multiple boats by hopping aboard in the hope of a free ride.
Nonetheless, he’s been a popular figure among the locals, who provided a pontoon for him when he needed a well-earned break from fishing for clams and shrimps.
But Lizzi Larbalestier, of BDMLR, told the Guardian that Wally’s departure was good news.
“Hopefully he will continue to move. It’s good that he’s moving north,” she said.
The BDMLR is not revealing exactly where he has been spotted because they do not want anyone to pursue him. “We don’t want hundreds of people trying to find him,” said Larbalestier.
She also told the publication that despite the attention from locals, Wally had likely grown lonely without the company of other Walruses.
“He’s an amazing creature but we hope we don’t see him again. He was clearly looking for social contact and that’s why he ended up in the harbour. But the right thing is for him to be home with other walruses.”
Image source: @Cloud9weather1
