Walrus Freya, Murdered by Oslo Bureaucrats, Immortalized In Bronze

The Norwegian authorities responsible for killing Freya the walrus can’t be too happy about a new statue of the beloved visitor just unveiled in Oslo. The statue is titled “For Our Sins,” lest anyone forget the rash decision to euthanize Freya for the crime of sunbathing in public.

Norwegian artist Astri Tonoian told the New York Times she wanted to create a “historic document about the case” and which speaks to “humans’ ability to face unknown,” a test of character the humans failed.

The statue depicts Freya in a pose reminiscent of both sleep and death. The former was her favorite pastime, usually enjoyed as she napped within small boats at or near Kongen Marina. The latter came too soon, as the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries, headed by Frank Bakke-Jensen, had Freya put down, claiming the benign walrus presented “the possibility for potential harm to people.”

In fact there were no reports of any harm to people or violent encounters of any kind, although Freya did sink the occasional pleasure boat with her prodigious girth. At 1,300 pounds she was twice the weight of her memorial bronze statue which, unlike Freya, is hollow.

Substantial funding for the statue was organized by Hans Erik Holm, who posted a Never Forget note on the fundraising website. “By erecting a statue of the symbol Freya quickly became, we will always remind ourselves (and future generations) that we cannot or should not always kill and remove nature when it is ‘in the way.’”

With the human population now eight billion and counting, we will no doubt have many more encounters with wildlife. Remembering the life and death of Freya might help us pass the next tests of character. Why not start by placing beside her  a small statue of the small-brained Norwegian who doomed her?

Photo credit: Reuters