Walrus expert Rune Aae left. and initiator Erik Holm, right, unveil a skulpture of the walrus 'Freya' in Oslo, Norway, Saturday, April 29, 2023. The walrus Freya was euthanized by the Directorate of Fisheries in August 2022. The reason was that the public did not follow the recommendations from the authorities to keep their distance from the 600-kilogram animal. (Annika Byrde/NTB Scanpix via AP)
April 29, 2023 - 9:32 AM
HELSINKI (AP) — A walrus that became a global celebrity last year after it was seen frolicking and basking in a Oslo fjord before it was euthanized by the authorities has been honored with a bronze sculpture in Norway.
The life-size sculpture by Norwegian artist Astri Tonoian was unveiled Saturday at the Oslo marina not far from the place where the actual 600-kilogram (1,300-pound) mammal was seen resting and relaxing during the summer of 2022.
The walrus, named Freya, quickly become a popular attraction among Oslo residents but Norwegian authorities later made a decision to euthanize it — causing public outrage — because they said people hadn’t followed recommendations to keep a safe distance away from the massive animal.
Norwegian news agency NTB said a crowdfunding campaign was kicked off last fall to finance the sculpture. The private initiative managed to gather about 270,000 Norwegian kroner ($25,000) by October, NTB said.
News from © The Associated Press, 2023