Freya the walrus – Is so stupid

– It’s crazy that a wild animal, which usually doesn’t care if a polar bear trudges past, might have to die because we can’t keep away.

Marine biologist Pia Ve Dahlen tells Dagbladet. She is worried about how many people venture dangerously close to Freya, the walrus who has become a kind of tourist attraction in Oslo this summer.

Do not want euthanasia

The marine biologist comes out hard against biologist Per Espen Fjeld, who believes that the walrus Freya should now be euthanized.

– I get so tired of the Norwegian approach that “no, now it must be shot” if possible. As soon as these fascinating animals do something we consider inconvenient, the first thing we think about is shooting them. That biologist Per Espen Fjeld now pits Freya’s case against an already quite hopeless game policy, as if the two are competitors, is also quite disappointing, she says.

The case Ve Dahlen refers to is a chronicle in NRK Ytring with the title: “Skyt Freya!”, which biologist Per Espen Fjeld has written.

“The difference between Freya and animals we issue death sentences on daily, because it is profitable or convenient for us, is that Freya is an exotic feature in the media and has been given a name. A pure Bambi effect,” he writes.

“Unfortunately, not all walruses have their own name,” he concludes.

Will shoot Freya

Ve Dahlen nevertheless hopes and believes that most people agree with her that the animal should be allowed to live. She believes that Freya the walrus has not done enough mischief to justify killing the animal.

– It is so stupid to shoot an animal that is obviously not aggressive. After all, she has only been swimming around here for several months and been on a girl’s trip with herself. Maybe gluttonous in the occasional bird, but that’s nature, she says.

– Disc boom

Per-Erik Schulze, a marine biologist at the Norwegian Nature Conservation Association, also objects to Fjeld’s statements about killing the walrus.

– I believe that this is total disc bomb. All wild animals have their own value. Freya has as much right to be in the fjord as we humans.

– In general, to think that pistols and rifles are the solution, I think is quite absurd.

Schulze partly understands what Fjeld means, he says, but believes that the discussion itself is sad.

– In Norway we have good traditions for sustainable harvesting, we shoot and eat seals and whales. We also have a tradition of taking out wild animals that cause problems for agriculture, or seals that damage fishing gear.

– But that’s where my understanding of the chronicle stops. If we are going to talk about risk and damage, I think it would be right to compare Freya’s presence with the leisure boats we have in Norway, he adds.

Can be dangerous

Marine biologist Pia Ve Dahlen believes it is scary that people feel safe at such close range, just because they are not in the water.

– It’s about false security, and people taking unnecessary risks by moving so close. Unfortunately, you are not necessarily safe just because you are not in the water, she says.

– It doesn’t cost Freya a calorie to tip around a SUP board, a kayak or a jet ski, she adds.

The marine biologist acknowledges that Freya is a very fascinating creature, and she understands that people want to see the walrus up close. Ve Dahlen herself has been down and looked at the remarkable animal when she was visiting Sarpsborg.

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– People must be allowed to enjoy this wonderful animal, I think, but from a good distance. We don’t have to risk life and death to go and poke her in the nose to get a cool picture for Instagram, says the marine biologist.

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