Walrus spotted in Wicklow?

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Just got an e-mail from Padraig Whooley of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group re. a possible walrus sighting of Co. Wicklow, Ireland.

At 19:30 this evening Tues. 23rd June, we received a call from a Johnny Byrne informing us that at 15:00 he had seen earlier what he believed to be a walrus off Maherabeg, heading north from Magherabeg beach, 50 yards off the rocks, towards Magheramor beach in Co. Wicklow.

Padraig, who is the sighting’s coordinator with the IWDG said he spoke to Johnny at length, and while he’s convinced the sighting is something unusual they can’t confirm a walrus just yet.

The IWDG has informed National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Irish Seal Sanctuary, as the animal could turn out to be another vagrant pinniped like a hooded or bearded seal, which have also been recorded in Irish waters.

There have been confirmed sightings of walruses in Irish waters before, with most sightings, perhaps unsurprisingly, coming from off the northwest coast.