Walrus makes striking Irish visitor in April

A wandering walrus from the Arctic spent six hours hauled out on rocks near Old Head in Clew Bay, Co Mayo, recently, within 100 metres of the busy coastal road. It was spotted as "a rock that moved" by Mary Cotter and her son Paul, from their house above the shore at Kilsallagh.

Paul (24) took photographs and as the tide rose around it, the resting walrus moved from one rock to another, disappearing finally at dusk.

There have been several sightings of walrus at sea off Co Donegal in recent winters, and in December, surfers at Easky, in Killala Bay, were reported to have been scared out of the sea by the appearance of a pair of inquisitive walrus beside them. A dead walrus was found near Sybil Head, Co Kerry, in January 1995.

As an inhabitant of Arctic pack-ice, some southward migration of walrus in winter is normal. But for one to haul ashore in Ireland in April must be reckoned a striking event.