At 11.30pm on 30th December 2022, Scarborough Sealife reported to BDMLR that a Walrus was hauled out at Scarborough. The initial response was “Are you joking?”!
The closest medic was tasked to check out the area, who met up with Sealife staff on scene who confirmed a Walrus was sitting asleep on a slipway in the middle of town. North Yorkshire Police – Scarborough response team promptly established a cordon of the area, and Yorkshire & Lincolnshire Coordinators Chris Cook & assistant Em Mayman began sorting kit that may be required for the response anticipated to last a while.
They arrived on scene at 2am and with Sealife staff and an RSPCA lead wildlife officer, held the cordon and dealt with securing the area. This included the Scarborough Harbourmasters having to pre-emptively section off parts of the walkway to the right hand side of where Thor lay, to avoid him being surrounded by the public when the sun rose. Understandably the unusual visitor attracted attention and the Police Response Sergeant could not do enough to facilitate Thor being kept safe, including being immediately contactable should their help be needed.
Thor, who continued to sleep throughout the day, was now being reported far and wide, which attracted visitors from other ends of the country and one family from France!
By 4pm Thor was becoming slightly more active, and at 4.30pm he sat up, turned around, and promptly slid off into the harbour. A cheer erupted from the crowd, while BDMLR Medics scrambled with radios to track which direction he went.
Thor was later seen at Blyth before heading north again, BBC News report here.
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Posted On: 04/01/2023