On the latest leg of his outstanding journey, Wally the wandering walrus who was first noticed off Valentia Island in Co. Kerry again in March 2021, was seen lounging aboard a moored motorboat in a small cove close to Clonakilty on the West Cork coast.
Wally, a younger male walrus, has travelled extensively on his journey south. After that first sighting in Kerry he’s hung out in south Wales, Cornwall, the Atlantic coast of France and as far south as Bilbao in northern Spain earlier than working his manner again through the Scilly Isles to Waterford and, most not too long ago, West Cork.
As documented by the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group on its web site, Wally’s stops embody:
- Valentia Island, Co. Kerry, SW Eire, 14 March
- Broadhaven, South Pembrokeshire, South Wales, UK 20 March
- Tenby bay, South Wales, UK, 29 March to 19 April
- Padstow, Cornwall, UK 20 Could
- Les Sables d’Olonne, France, 27 Could
- La Rochelle, France 28 Could to 29 Could
- River Nervion, Bilbao, Spain 04 June to 06 June
- Helen’s Scilly, UK 18 June to 30 July
- Clonea Strand/Ardmore Bay, Waterford, Eire, 02 August to 05 Aug
We are able to now add one other cease to that record: after testing Courtmacsherry on 08 August, Wally spent the 09-10 August lounging on a motorboat at a small cove alongside the West Cork coast close to Ardfield, Clonakilty.
Attributable to his monumental bulk, the walrus has broken a number of small boats and sunk at the very least one in his makes an attempt to haul out, prompting Seal Rescue Eire to attraction for the donation of an outdated/unused RIB or pontoon to offer Wally a protected haven to relaxation on. They’re additionally urging individuals to offer the walrus area, initially advising individuals to remain at the very least 300m from the animal, a determine they revised to a extra wise 100m of their most up-to-date replace. Even that extra life like determine appears an excessive amount of for some boat operators to stay to, with latest examples of vessels approaching inside 5 metres of the resting animal.
Do you have to get the possibility to see Wally the Walrus on his go to to Eire, by all means, achieve this. It’s an unimaginable alternative to expertise an enchanting creature that so not often visits our shores — however please, present him the respect he deserves and keep on with that Seal Rescue Eire suggested restrict of 100m to keep away from undue disturbance to the animal.