Against all the odds, it appears Wally the walrus is making his way back towards his native Arctic waters after he was spotted in Iceland.
The well-travelled mammal was last photographed off West Cork in Ireland, but had not been seen for nearly three weeks and there were fears for his health and wellbeing. Then on Saturday a walrus very similar to Wally was sighted in Iceland – some 560 miles away from his previous location.
British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) and Seal Rescue Ireland compared photographs they had of Wally with the new Iceland images and, after matching distinctive scars on his front flippers, were able to confirm that it was the same animal.
“We are absolutely over the moon that he's not only still alive and well, but is is well on his way home to the Arctic,” said Seal Rescue Ireland.
Wally became a celebrity after initially being sighted off Ireland in March, before setting up home in Tenby in Wales for a few months, and then taking in a tour that included Cornwall, France, Spain and the Isles of Scilly.