Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Wandering walrus making himself at home on island visit
A trip to the Isles of Scilly offers the promise of unexpected wildlife sightings – and none more so than a walrus, writes Charlie Elder
If there isn’t a speed walking record for the distance between Little Porth and Hugh Town harbour on St Mary’s in the Isles of Scilly then I reckon I could lay claim to it. I had been exploring the coast path along the western edge of the archipelago’s main island the
Sunday before last, when I decided to scan the harbour from a distance.
Among the flotilla of yachts anchored in the sheltered bay, one boat in particular had caught my eye on arriving by ferry the previous day – a yellow ambulance vessel moored near the main jetty.
I recognised the brightly-painted boat, Star of Life, from numerous photos posted online showing famed wandering walrus ‘Wally’ reclining asleep on the rear platform.
The Arctic mammal hadn’t been sighted in the harbour during my first day on St Mary’s, and there had been no news of his whereabouts on Sunday morning.
I was facing the possibility that I would miss out on an audience with this celebrity visitor, given I was only staying for the weekend and due to depart that afternoon.
So when I raised my binoculars from the coast path at Little Porth and spied in the distance a large mass sprawled across the back of the Star of Life, I realised with relief that I had finally struck lucky.
It isn’t easy to look cool, calm and collected while walking at top speed along a coast path. Except that, on the Isles of Scilly, people now understand when you barge past with the excuse: “Sorry, I’m in a hurry to see Wally.”
I covered the distance in minutes, out of breath but delighted to reach the end of the pier and find the walrus taking life easy on the Star of Life. A star indeed, judging by the interest of onlookers.
Only I had no need to break a sweat. He hardly moved from his spot the entire day – occasionally taking a dip to cool off before hauling his bulk out again onto the rear platform, as if the boat were nothing more than an iceberg upon which he could safely snooze.
Wally didn’t even seem bothered by numerous passing boats – among them a marine wildlife tour, from which the guide delivered in flawless deadpan tone the surreal announcement over the loudspeaker: “…and on our left, a walrus.”
The Isles of Scilly are known for scarce species, making them a mecca for UK birdwatchers in particular. Much like the Shetlands to the north of Scotland, the scattered islands 28 miles off Land’s End provide an ideal place to touch down for exhausted migrating birds which have lost their bearings or been blown off course over open ocean.
Despite their small size, the Scilly Isles boast an impressive list of bird species hundreds-strong, ranging from such rare vagrants as the Eurasian nutcracker, cedar waxwing, yellow-bellied sapsucker and Turkestan shrike to red-footed falcon, royal tern and belted kingfisher. Recent notable finds include an Egyptian vulture, which turned up briefly last month.
For non-twitchers, the common resident species are equally captivating, given how incredibly tame they have become. At the Garrison campsite where I stayed, I was able to feed house sparrows and blackbirds by hand, get to within touching distance of song thrushes – and the resident hedgehogs are equally chummy.
But it is not just the fauna that takes your breath away on Scilly – the flowering succulents which thrive in this mild environment put on a fabulous show at this time of year.
I have been to the islands several times, and this month’s brief visit provided an opportunity to observe seabirds from the Scillonian ferry and to roam nature trails on St Mary’s, where I enjoyed views of reed warblers, linnets, goldfinches, stonechats and rabbits aplenty, including one which was black. I took it as an omen of good fortune.
While I hadn’t come specifically to see Wally the walrus, I had certainly hoped to spy him, given how much news coverage he has generated.
Far from his Arctic home, he first turned up in mid-March on the south-western shores of Ireland before relocating a week later to the Pembrokeshire coast. He then spent two months at Tenby in south Wales, where he was affectionately nicknamed Wally, before heading south, being spotted briefly off Padstow in May. The young adult male then visited France and Spain, turning back to end up in the Isles of Scilly in mid-June, where he has remained ever since.
It is believed he might have come from Svalbard, north of Norway, more than 3,200km from the Isles of Scilly, and given they are highly social creatures, this improbable nomad could be feeling lonely. Experts say he will need to build up weight before attempting a long trek home, fattening up on shellfish, such as clams.
His liking of small boats has unfortunately got him into trouble, upending and damaging a few craft as he attempts to haul aboard. In an attempt to protect boats in the bay, a customised pontoon has been constructed, which he has used, along with his favourite resting place on the Star of Life ambulance boat.
Organisations including the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust, Cornwall Seal Group, British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) and St Mary’s Harbour Team have been involved
in finding solutions, which include the possibility of re-locating the pontoon outside the port area to reduce disturbance and enable him to rest. Measures such as barriers and acoustic deterrents to keep him out of the busy harbour are also being considered, for his welfare and the safety of boat owners. In Tenby, airhorns were used to move him off an RNLI slipway, but he eventually became accustomed to the blasts, so different sounds may be required – perhaps even polar bear vocalisations.
In a joint statement, the marine and wildlife organisations said: “Unfortunately, his presence in a commercial harbour within an island community is posing huge risks, first to himself, and to livelihoods, but potentially human safety.”
Capture and release has currently been ruled out as too difficult and dangerous. Walruses are known to die under anaesthesia in around 20% of cases and he is considered too large to move safely. A darted walrus could paddle off before the drug took effect and potentially drown, while previous attempts at re-locating other mobile marine species have found that some simply swim long distances back to where they want to be.
There are two kinds of walrus, the Atlantic walrus and the larger Pacific walrus which can grow to weigh as much as two tonnes. Their tusks – elongated canine teeth present in both males and females – are used for hauling out onto ice, maintaining ice holes for breathing and as weapons, and are surrounded by stiff whiskery bristles sensitive to touch.
An Atlantic walrus was last spotted in Scotland in 2018, the first sighting of its kind on the British mainland in 54 years, which shows just how rarely they find themselves this far south.
They can live to the age of 40, and Atlantic walrus Wally is believed to be four years old. Despite his travels, this incongruous visitor appears to be making himself at home in the Scilly Isles and could stick around for a while yet. That is, unless he decides he would prefer somewhere a little colder, out of the limelight and in the company of his own kind.
“Experts have reassured us that it is in his nature to move on,” say those organisations overseeing his welfare. “He has shown his ability to move great distances from his visits to Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, France, Spain and now the Isles of Scilly. When he is ready, energy-wise, he will move on.”
The Isles of Scilly are a wonderful place to spend time. But here’s hoping that, along with all the lost birds which wind up on these islands, Wally safely finds his way home.
‘Experts have reassured us that it is in his nature to move on. He has shown his ability to move great distances’