An improper nap has resulted in a very rare sighting. Have you ever fallen asleep on a train or bus and completely missed your stop? You’re not alone.
In March 2021, on the west coast of Ireland, a walrus was discovered. This is a scarce sight – so how did it get there?
Experts think it’s possible the walrus fell asleep on an Arctic iceberg and drifted to Ireland while it was taking a nap!
“I meant what happened was he fell asleep on an iceberg and drifted off, and then he went too far, out into the mid-Atlantic or somewhere like that maybe down to Greenland. ” Kevin Flannery, director of Oceanworld Aquarium in Dingle, Co. Kerry, said.
“That’s usually what happens… they fall asleep on an iceberg and get carried away from the North Pole.”
The animal was first noticed by a man living in the area named Alan Houlihan and his 5-year-old daughter, Muireann.
“At first, I thought it was a seal, and then we saw the tusks. He jumped on the rocks. ”
“He was huge. He was the size of a bull or a cow, pretty much the same size; he’s big,” Houlihan said.
“He was right next to us, less than 50 meters from us. After a while, he turned around and went back to the rock.”
While the animal is absolutely adorable, Flannery said the creature is likely exhausted and hungry after drifting on such a long journey.
The public was encouraged to make sure the animal has plenty of space if they encounter it.
“Hopefully, he’ll get a few shells around Valentia. But at this point, he wants to rest. He’s from the North Pole, possibly off the coast of Greenland,” said Flanner.
“He could also do island-hopping and go to Iceland and continue to Shetland, but that is unlikely. I’d say he’s from the Atlantic Ocean. It’s thousands of miles away. If he gets his strength back, hopefully, he’ll make his way back up.”
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