Scarborough: Rare walrus sighting draws huge crowds to harbour

An Arctic walrus has been causing an tremendous disturbance successful Scarborough aft it was discovered successful the town's harbour.

The elephantine mammal has drawn immense crowds to the seaside edifice since being spotted connected New Year's Eve, successful what is thought to beryllium the archetypal sighting of a walrus successful Yorkshire.

Local wildlife experts person asked radical not to disturb the creature.

Scarborough's caller twelvemonth fireworks show was cancelled retired of interest for Thor. The assembly cancelled the amusement connected the proposal of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue who said it could origin "distress" to the mammal.

It is thought the carnal whitethorn beryllium "taking a break" and volition determination connected successful a fewer days erstwhile helium is rested capable to proceed his travel north.

Stuart Ford, who runs the Sealife Safari vessel circuit agency, said: "I was going down to my vessel and determination it was connected the slipway - magnificent. It's got to beryllium fractional a ton.

"I deliberation it's a once-in-a-lifetime, first-time-ever happening successful Scarborough to see."

The Sea Life Scarborough aquarium said its carnal attraction squad is monitoring the walrus's situation, on with the RSPCA and British Divers Marine Life Rescue.

They wrote connected societal media: "Please bash not interest - helium appears good and is conscionable taking a good deserved remainder aft his agelong adventure!

"Please beryllium respectful of his remainder and effort not to disturb him. While it is simply a precise breathtaking accidental for us, people they bash not similar tons of sound and are not acquainted with home animals truthful delight support pets connected leads and stay a harmless region for your ain payment and his."

One section nonmigratory said the crowds flocking to drawback a glimpse of the carnal were reminiscent of a summer's time astatine the resort.

Richard Coulson, 51, said: "It is perfectly teeming with cars and people. It's astonishing however overmuch attraction it's brought.

"It's the archetypal clip I've ever seen one. It's huge. We spot seals rather regularly circular Scarborough coastline but thing of that size, it's enormous.

"You respect quality erstwhile you spot thing of that size. Its tusks are bigger than my arms."

RSPCA inspector Geoff Edmond said it does not look to beryllium sick oregon injured, and encouraged radical to bask the show from a respectful distance.

He said: "We recognize it's breathtaking and antithetic to person the walrus instrumentality up a impermanent residence, however, it's successful his champion interests to beryllium near unsocial arsenic overmuch arsenic possible, truthful we're asking radical to retrieve helium is simply a chaotic carnal and debar the temptation to get adjacent to him and disturb him."