Freya the walrus won the hearts of many Norwegians during the summer when she swam around the Oslofjord. Freya was perhaps best known for her penchant for lying and sunbathing on pleasure boats moored in the harbour.
Norwegian authorities have urged people to keep their distance from the walrus, but even so, several people have been too close, but risk being injured by the large animal.
The Directorate of Fisheries in Norway decided that the walrus needed to be euthanized so that no one would get hurt. There was also concern for the health of the walrus.
“The decision was made after an overall evaluation where we concluded that people’s lives and health could be in danger,” says Frank Bakke-Jensen in a press release.
He states that the killing was carried out by trained personnel and describes the course of events as undramatic.
See more about the fate of Freya the walrus in the clip above