A Walrus Climbs into Boats While Cruising Europe

Not surprisingly, walrus tusks and inflatable dinghies don’t mix well.

A walrus named Wally has been cruising the waters of Western Europe for the past four months, but his recent visit to the Isles of Scilly has made him unpopular with the local boaters.

After feeding on the local clams, Wally the Walrus has been climbing onto boats to rest, but some smaller boats, in particular dinghies, have fallen victim to the creature, either by swamping due to his massive size, or puncture via his tusks.

After visiting Ireland, Spain, France and Cornwall, Wally took up residence in the Isles of Scilly off the southwestern tip of Great Britain. After sinking a few boats, local authorities built a floating pontoon for the walrus in the hopes he would use it to rest.

Meanwhile, boaters are urged to gently use an oar to prod Wally away from their boats. The walrus has not shown any aggression. If anything, he’s a little too friendly and experts say he needs to get some rest, so he has the energy to return to the Arctic and depart the Isles of Scilly as soon as possible.

You can read more about Wally’s European tour on the BBC website.