The bronze life-size statue of Walrus Freya is called For Our Sins. Image source: REUTERS.
Oslo, the capital of Norway, has unveiled a statue of Freya, a walrus that was a popular attraction but was ultimately put down due to concerns about public safety.
The life-size bronze sculpture, created by Astri Tonoian, depicts Freya lying on her side on a shore.
Tonoian named the statue “For Our Sins” to highlight the mistreatment of wild nature, as well as the mistreatment of humans. “This is how we treated Freya,” Tonoian said.
An online campaign that raised $25,000 (£19,900) was instrumental in the creation of the statue.
Erik Holm, the campaign organizer, explained, “I started this because I’m furious about the way the [Norwegian] Fisheries Directorate and the state handled this situation,” in an interview .
The animal was frequently observed climbing onto boats to sunbathe. Image source: GETTY IMAGES.
Freya, who weighed over 600kg (1,300lb), was euthanized in August, sparking outrage across Norway.
After often leaping onto boats and sunbathing, causing them to sink, the walrus had become a famous attraction.
However, due to safety concerns, local authorities advised people not to approach the animal too closely.
Both the Fisheries Directorate and Norway’s fisheries ministry posted images of people, including children, standing perilously near to the animal.
According to local media, authorities had to close off a bathing area on one occasion when the walrus chased a woman into the water.
The fisheries ministry published a photo showing a crowd gathered very near a walrus, with the faces of the individuals obscured to protect their identities. image source: NORWEGIAN DIRECTORATE OF FISHERIES
Freya, who weighed over 600kg (1,300lb), was euthanized in August of last year, generating outrage across Norway.
The walrus had become a famous attraction after repeatedly leaping onto boats and sunbathing, causing many to sink.
However, due to safety concerns, local authorities warned people not to approach the animal too closely.
Both the Fisheries Directorate and Norway’s fisheries ministry posted images of people standing perilously close to the animal, including youngsters.
According to local media accounts, authorities had to close off a swimming area on one occasion when the walrus chased a woman into the sea.
Freya, who was named after the Norse goddess of love and beauty, was first spotted in Oslo in the middle of July of last year.
Although there have been a few isolated instances in the past, walruses, which are a protected species, typically live farther north in the Arctic and do not typically attack people.
A zookeeper who attempted to save a tourist snapping selfies with a walrus in a Chinese wildlife park in 2016 also perished.
The visitor had been grabbed and pulled underwater.