Thor the walrus spotted in Iceland after leaving UKon February 25, 2023 at 9:44 am

A walrus that drew crowds when spotted on the south and east coasts of England appears to have arrived in Iceland.

The mammal, named Thor, appeared in Hampshire in December before spending New Year in Scarborough and heading 70 miles further north to Blyth, Northumberland.

The walrus was reported as in Breiðdalsvík, Iceland, on Friday.

British Divers Marine Life Rescue said it could confirm from markings that it was Thor.

“After Thor’s visit to the UK we wondered if we would ever see him again,” a spokesman said.

“We are delighted to have been informed that he is in Iceland.”

Thor was reported as having arrived in Breiðdalsvík on the east coast of Iceland, about 850 miles (1360km) from Blyth, and was photographed on a pontoon.

BDLMR said it could match the pale patches on the animal’s foreflippers with pictures taken in Scarborough.

The walrus, thought to be aged between three and five, drew crowds to the North Yorkshire resort after being spotted on a slipway on 30 December.

The town’s New Year’s Eve fireworks were cancelled in order not to distress him, before he made a later appearance 70 miles further up the coast at the Royal Northumberland Yacht Club in Blyth.

Thor had spent several hours on the beach at Calshot near Southampton on 12 December.

He is known to have visited the Netherlands and Dieppe in France in 2022 and it is thought he could have travelled from as far as the Canadian Arctic.

World Wide Fund for Nature’s (WWF) Rod Downie said after the Calshot appearance that Thor was likely to try to make his way back to Arctic waters.

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