'Rare sighting' of walrus on rocks off Fife coast

A walrus has been spotted off the coast of Fife in a "rare sighting".

It was seen resting on rocks near Elie and was reported to the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR).

The walrus was spotted on 31 January but the marine wildlife charity decided not to make the sighting public to protect the animal.

Volunteers said it appeared to be healthy but were concerned that if its location was revealed it would have been disturbed by large crowds and drones - something that has happened in the past.

The charity monitored the walrus for the rest of the day.

It said the area remained quiet and the animal was not disturbed. The following morning it had left and has, so far, not been seen again.

Emily Mayman, from the BDMRL, told BBC Scotland News: "Walruses are rare but occasional visitors to the shores of the United Kingdom and wider Europe, with several individual animals recorded in recent years.

"These animals originate from the Arctic, and their presence further south may be linked to environmental changes affecting their natural habitat, including the ongoing reduction in sea ice associated with climate change."

She added that young, male Atlantic walruses were most likely to roam and were capable of travelling very long distances.

"When they appear in the United Kingdom, minimising disturbance is exceptionally important, as these animals may already be fatigued from extended journeys and require prolonged periods of undisturbed rest to recover before moving onwards," she said.

"While not a native species to the UK, walruses are a nationally protected species under UK law, and disturbance of them is prohibited."

In the past few years, three well-known individuals named Wally, Freya and Thor have all passed through the UK, hauling out in several locations.

They remained for weeks, becoming significant public attractions requiring intensive management from the BDMLR, other organisations and authorities.

"Sadly, incidents of disturbance still occurred despite the presence of volunteers, police and statutory body staff as a small minority of people wilfully ignored cordons and direct advice on watching respectfully," a spokesperson said.

Wally and Thor were later seen in Iceland. Freya moved on to Norway, where the authorities shot her.

The BDMLR said the Norwegian authorities had failed to employ crowd control measures, instead claiming she was causing danger to people despite not displaying any aggressive behaviour.

"We hope this latest individual has moved northwards back towards the normal habitat for this species and is able to continue their journey safely without intervention," the spokesperson added.