Watch walrus named Thor visit Hampshire beach after Solent swim prompts warning for residents to steer clear

The animal known as ‘Thor’ is currently being monitored by British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) volunteers and the Coastguard in Southampton after hauling on the beach in Calshot yesterday.

Thor was first sighted in the Netherlands on the November 6, and has been travelling along the coast of France as far as Brittany in the last few weeks.

In a statement on social media, a representative from the charity BDMLR said: ‘Key advice is being issued to everyone to give the walrus a very wide berth to avoid disturbing it. They travel long distances and have rest stops to recover and regain energy before moving on again.

‘Every time it is disturbed by people being too close or noisy will impact it’s chances of survival. Walruses are protected from disturbance under UK law.

‘Of course we do not know how long Thor will be around the UK, but while he/she is here we ask everyone to behave sensibly and responsibly for their safety as well as that of the walrus to avoid a worst case scenario occurring.’

Coastguard officers set up a cordon along a stretch of the beach to keep crowds a safe distance away from Thor.

Fully-grown walruses weigh about two tonnes and measure nearly 4m long, with creatures living for as long as 40 years.