The net red walrus was euthanized
Some time ago, according to media reports, Freya, a "net red" walrus who appeared in the Oslo Fjord in Norway in July this year, was euthanized by the Norwegian Fisheries Agency. It is reported that Freya attracted a large crowd of onlookers in the Oslo Fjord, and although the Norwegian government has repeatedly called on people not to approach the wildlife at will, curious people continue to go to see Freya. To this end, the Norwegian Fisheries Agency euthanized Freya, saying the decision was based on an assessment of the threat to human security.
After this news spread to the Internet, it quickly attracted the attention and discussion of the majority of netizens at home and abroad, and many netizens bluntly said that this practice was too cruel, and there may be a better way to solve this problem, but the Norwegian government made the worst decision. In addition, some netizens said that it should be humans but wild animals that should keep a distance, and we cannot deprive lives at will. Then again, how should humans get along with wildlife? And why did the Norwegian government insist on euthanizing Freya?
Why is the Norwegian government insisting on euthanizing walruses?
It is understood that in the past two years, Freya has lived in many European countries such as the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. In mid-July this year, Freya appeared in the Oslo Fjord and received a lot of attention. Because Freya treats the boat as an ice floe, she often climbs on the boat to rest, but because Freya weighs nearly 600 kilograms, it crushes many boats, but this also attracts more crowds of onlookers, and some even drive jet skis to see Freya. To this end, the Norwegian Fisheries Service has repeatedly warned people not to get too close to walruses, which can pose a certain danger to personal safety.
According to the Fisheries Bureau, while Freya, the walrus, looks very comfortable, she is sensitive to approaching people and boats and is easily surprised. Although walruses generally do not actively attack humans, it is a different matter if it feels threatened. Veterinarians also believe that too much human attention is putting pressure on Freya. Therefore, the local fisheries department believes that Freya is likely to "harm" humans and decides to euthanize her, but why did the Norwegian fisheries department cause such a big controversy?
Why is euthanasia a walrus causing so much controversy?
In fact, after observing Freya's trajectory, the Norwegian Fisheries Service said the walrus was in good condition to stay where it was. But the crowd that comes to see Freya every day is not in the minority, and even they stand at a distance where the walrus can reach. A week later, the Norwegian Fisheries Agency changed its mind, believing that Freya was highly potentially harmful to humans and therefore no longer maintained its animal welfare. They had also thought about sending Freya out of the fjord before euthanasia, but given the survival adaptability of walruses, it was eventually decided to implement euthanasia.
However, this move has caused great controversy, and many netizens said that this is originally a problem of human beings themselves, why the responsibility is pushed on the walrus, this is really a big joke. In addition, biologist Rooney Oe also thinks that the decision is too hasty, saying that according to the trajectory of Freya's actions in the past, it is likely that it will leave on its own. That is to say, sooner or later Freya will leave Norway, and the summer vacation will soon be over, and the number of walrus watchers will also decrease. So in his opinion, euthanasia is completely unnecessary. So, how should humans get along with wildlife?
In fact, this problem has always been a conundrum. Because in most cases, due to human own negligence, wild animals have to lose their lives, such as the "Harambe incident". Harambe is a rare orangutan living in a zoo in the United States, and on May 28, 2016, a 3-year-old boy climbed over a railing to enter Harambe. At the time, Harambe didn't behave unusually, but the zoo had to kill Harambe in order to protect the little boy. Therefore, the best way for humans to live in harmony with wild animals is not to disturb each other.
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