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OSLO

Norway considers euthanising walrus that won hearts in Oslo fjord

Norwegian authorities are considering putting down a walrus that won hearts basking in the sun of the Oslo fjord, amid fears it is putting itself and the public in danger.

Published: 12 August 2022 10:13 CEST
Norway considers euthanising walrus that won hearts in Oslo fjord
Illustration photo of a walrus. Norway is considering putting down a walrus that has been spotted regularly in Oslo fjord this summer, citing possible danger to the public. Photo by Romy Vreeswijk on Unsplash

Despite repeated appeals to the public to keep their distance from the walrus — a young female weighing 600 kilos (1,300 pounds) that has been nicknamed Freya — the mammal continues to attract big crowds, the Fisheries Directorate said in a statement on Thursday.

Its text was accompanied by a photograph of a group of onlookers crowding near the animal.

“The public’s reckless behaviour and failure to follow authorities’ recommendations could put lives in danger”, a spokeswoman for the fisheries agency, Nadia Jdaini, said.

“We are now exploring other measures, and euthanasia may be a real alternative”, she added.

Freya, whose name is a reference to the Norse goddess of beauty and love, has made headlines since July 17th when she was first spotted in the waters of the Norwegian capital.

Walruses normally lives in the even more northerly latitudes of the Arctic.

Between long naps — a walrus can sleep up to 20 hours a day — Freya has been filmed chasing a duck, attacking a swan and, more often than not, dozing on boats struggling to support her bulk.

Despite the recommendations, some curious onlookers have continued to approach her, sometimes with children in tow, to take photographs.

“Her health has clearly declined. The walrus is not getting enough rest and the experts we have consulted now suspect that the animal is stressed,” Jdaini said.

A protected species, walruses normally eat molluscs, small fish, shrimps and crabs. 

While they don’t normally attack people, they can if they feel threatened, according to authorities.

Member comments

  1. Ridiculous to euthanize a walrus because some persons use poor judgement, even putting their children at risk. Why doesn’t the local authority corden off the area and let only people who live/boat in that area in? Why don’t they relocate Freya? If she is not eating well, why don’t the local authorities provide her with her natural diet? There must be plenty of fishermen/fisheries that have extra shrimp, crab, molluscs, small fish. Besides the fact that Freya is a sentient being, she is protected.

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OSLO

Potential bankruptcy threatens bus services in Oslo 

The strained finances of bus provider Unibuss could cause chaos for Oslo’s bus network if the company folds. 

Published: 24 April 2024 12:08 CEST
Potential bankruptcy threatens bus services in Oslo 

Unibuss, which is wholly owned by Oslo Municipality, is in danger of going bust due to large losses, unpaid bills, and fines from public transport firm Ruter for issues with its electric bus fleet this winter. 

Oslo City Council will hold an emergency meeting headed up by transport councilor Marit Vea on Wednesday, where she will be grilled on how the council will avert a collapse in the city’s public transport network should Unibuss go bankrupt. 

Unibuss is comprised of four smaller companies that operate bus routes in Oslo on behalf of Ruter. The company has just over 370 buses in operation and covers around 60 to 70 percent of the routes in Oslo and the neighboring municipality of Bærum. 

Oslo’s fleet of electric busses struggled especially with snow and cold temperatures this winter, which caused frequent chaos across the capital’s public transport network. 

Snow, ice, range and charging issues for the busses lead to vehicle shortages which caused mass delays and cancellations several times over the winter. 

Ruter, which is also part owned by Oslo municipality, believes that the financial problems facing Unibuss mean the company could be forced to file for bankruptcy or undergo a major restructuring, according to a memo obtained by publication Teknisk Ukeblad.  

It has previously told public broadcaster that it was working on a plan in case Unibuss goes bankrupt. 

“There is no doubt that the first days of such a scenario will be very demanding for the residents of Oslo and parts of Akershus,” Ruter’s communications director Elisabeth Skarsbø Moen told public broadcaster NRK.  

“First and foremost, we are working to find a solution together with Unibuss that does not affect Ruter’s customers,” she said. 

“But as those responsible for public transport, we have both a plan and an emergency organization ready to also handle a bankruptcy,” Skarsbø Moen added. 

Should Unibuss go bankrupt, its buses would become part of the bankruptcy estate and if such an event were to occur while passengers were in transit, all passengers would need to disembark at the next stop so the buses can be transported to the depot. 

Ruter said it had an eye on the market to try and see what could be available in terms of extra buses and equipment. 

It said that its priority would be to ensure that school transport, and that healthcare workers could get to work, in the event of a sudden lack of buses. 

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