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Nature and EnvironmentNorway

Freya: Sculpture of euthanized walrus unveiled in Norway

April 29, 2023

A statue commemorating the walrus, affectionately nicknamed Freya, was unveiled in Oslo. Her antics attracted attention last year but ultimately led to authorities putting her down.

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Freya sunbathing on a small boat
The decision to euthanize Freya caused controversy both in Norway and abroadImage: EBU

A sculpture was unveiled Saturday in Norway of Freya, the walrus whose euthanization last year provoked public outrage.

The life-size sculpture depicts Freya lying on the rocky shore of Oslo's Kongen Marina.

The 600-kilogram (1,320-pound) marine mammal enthralled the public for months in 2022, chasing ducks and swans and sunbathing on boats struggling to support her bulk.

Norway's Directorate of Fisheries chose to put her down in August, citing signs she was experiencing stress and amid fears she posed a threat to the public who did not keep their distance as requested.

Walrus expert Rune Aae, left, and fundraiser Erik Holm, right, unveil a sculpture of the walrus 'Freya' in Oslo, Norway,
The statue was unveiled not far from where Freya last summer drew large crowdsImage: Annika Byrde/NTB/IMAGO

Animal lovers raise thousands for Freya artwork

Many denounced the decision to euthanize Freya, calling it a national shame and the outrage even spread beyond Norway's borders

An online fundraising campaign for a bronze statue of her had raised about 270,000 Norwegian kroner (around €22,800; $25,000) in a matter of days.

Erik Holm, the fundraiser's organizer, said he did it because he was "furious about the way the Fisheries Directorate and the state handled this situation."

"Beyond the issue of Freya, we need to ask ourselves how we treat animals and nature. We need to think about our relationship with wildlife," he said.

Why was Freya euthanized?

Freya — whose name refers to the Norse goddess of beauty and love — was first spotted in the waters of the Norwegian capital in mid-July 2022.

Freya the walrus sitting on a boat in Frognerkilen in Oslo, Norway, Monday July 18, 2022
Pictures and videos of Freya getting onto boats went viralImage: Tor Erik Schrøder/AP Photo/picture alliance

Her exploits, which included chasing a duck and attacking a swan, intrigued locals and made headlines in the press.

Before settling in the Oslo Fjord, Freya was spotted in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands — where she relaxed on a Dutch naval submarine — and Denmark.

Despite repeated appeals from the authorities, interested onlookers continued to approach her, sometimes with children and sometimes in the water.

Authorities had considered relocating the walrus but ultimately decided the operation was too risky and euthanized Freya.

lo/wd (AFP, dpa)