Two wild animals that strayed from their ordinary habitats and into close proximity to humans were recently killed in high-profile cases. The life of Freya the walrus was ended by officials in Oslo on August 14 2022, reportedly because the animal posed a threat to humans. Four days earlier, the life of a beluga whale that had strayed into France’s Seine River was ended during a failed rescue attempt.
Many people followed the whereabouts of these animals, cared about their welfare, and were shocked and saddened by their deaths. A private fundraising campaign has even been set up to erect a statue of Freya in Oslo, with its creators arguing that the walrus should not have been killed.
