Magnus has kept going. After popping up along Scotland’s north-east coast, the young walrus has now crossed the North Sea and turned up in Norway.
The young male was first spotted last month on Stronsay in Orkney. He later appeared in Lossiemouth, Macduff, Fraserburgh, Findochty and Hopeman.
People in Norway have now shared photographs of Magnus resting more than 300 miles, 483 kilometres, away.
This walrus is estimated to be about 8 feet, 2.5 metres, long. His time in Scotland drew crowds, with people watching him scratch against metal posts and roll into the water while asleep before he moved on.
In Norway, Åge Jakobsen said: “We went out to Buerholmen at Hidra to look for and photograph the walrus Magnus who is staying there,” according to the BBC.
“It was a little different to take pictures of one of the birds I usually do – didn’t seem like it would fly away.”
Jakobsen said the walrus looked “really tired” after the trip across the North Sea. He said Magnus appeared to have a “great time in the sun on the floating dock”.
Walruses are occasional visitors to UK shores, and sightings have increased in recent years. One theory is that this is linked to the loss of sea ice habitats in the Arctic.
Experts have said the young male is likely to be “just exploring”.
A walrus appeared on North Ronaldsay, Orkney’s northernmost island, in 2013. Another was spotted on the same island in 2018 before heading south to rest on Sanday.
Read more from BBC News.
