Rügen, Poland and now Latvia: Lately there have been more sightings of walruses on the Baltic Sea coast – or is it always the same animal?
A good two weeks after a walrus made a flying visit to Rügen, a walrus has also been sighted on Latvia’s Baltic Sea coast.
The marine mammal was discovered and photographed early Monday morning on the beach near the port city of Liepaja, Latvian radio reported. According to reports from eyewitnesses, the animal returned to the sea a little later.
According to Valdis Pilats of the Latvian Nature Conservation Agency, it is the first documented sighting of a walrus in the Baltic EU country in north-eastern Europe. It may be the same animal that caused a stir on the beaches of Rügen and the Polish Baltic Sea coast in mid-June.
The authority also warned in a statement not to approach a walrus on the beach and to leave it alone: ”A wild animal is not a circus show”. Videos and photos released online show eyewitnesses getting relatively close to the giant sea creature and shining a flashlight on it.
