A walrus nicknamed “Thor” caused a stir over the holiday season in Scarborough, England. After appearing at a local harbor on Friday (30) night, the large mammal was spotted “self-indulging” in public.
One Twitter user shared a recording of the moment, writing: “There’s a lost walrus in Scarborough. He decided to touch himself in front of all of us on board. It’s okay.”
A firework display scheduled for Saturday night was canceled due to the presence of the mammal. District Council Scarborough decided not to hold the event British news website Sky News reported following a recommendation from a local marine conservation committee.
However, the reason for withdrawal is not the animal’s behavior. Indeed, experts from the NGO British Divers Marine Life Rescue warned that loud thunder and bright lights could cause “distress” for the animals.
They also asked the public to isolate the area where the animal was and not to disturb the walrus.
Although the sight shocked some, crowds flocked to the spot to spot the animal, the newspaper reported. However, officials advised visitors to maintain a “respectful distance”.
In England, walruses are protected under the Wild Animals Act 1981, and any act against walruses can be considered a crime.
After passing through Scarborough, Thor was spotted in Blyth on Monday (2), about 120km from his initial stop.
