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Wally the Walrus stops off in West Cork

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    On the newest leg of his exceptional 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 frolicked in south Wales, Cornwall, the Atlantic coast of France and as far south as Bilbao in northern Spain earlier than working his method 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:

    Wally the Walrus's incredible journey -- map via the IWDG.
    Map displaying the walrus’s unimaginable journey courtesy of the IWDG web site.
    1. Valentia Island, Co. Kerry, SW Eire, 14 March
    2. Broadhaven, South Pembrokeshire, South Wales, UK 20 March
    3. Tenby bay, South Wales, UK, 29 March to 19 April
    4. Padstow, Cornwall, UK 20 Could
    5. Les Sables d’Olonne, France, 27 Could
    6. La Rochelle, France 28 Could to 29 Could
    7. River Nervion, Bilbao, Spain 04 June to 06 June
    8. Helen’s Scilly, UK 18 June to 30 July
    9. Clonea Strand/Ardmore Bay, Waterford, Eire, 02 August to 05 Aug

    We are able to now add one other cease to that checklist: 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.

    As a result of his monumental bulk, the walrus has broken a number of small boats and sunk no less than one in his makes an attempt to haul out, prompting Seal Rescue Eire to attraction for the donation of an outdated/unused RIB or pontoon to offer Wally a protected haven to relaxation on.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 folks to offer the walrus area, initially advising folks to remain no less than 300m from the animal, a determine they revised to a extra wise 100m of their most up-to-date replace. Even that extra real looking 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.

    Must you get the prospect to see Wally the Walrus on his go to to Eire, by all means, accomplish that. It’s an unimaginable alternative to expertise a captivating creature that so hardly ever visits our shores — however please, present him the respect he deserves and persist with that Seal Rescue Eire suggested restrict of 100m to keep away from undue disturbance to the animal.

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