Man can't believe his luck after making 'ultra-rare' discovery on UK beach

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An utterly surprised man was left in a state of disbelief after uncovering an exceptionally rare sight during a visit to the beach.

TikTok content creator James Cook, who has an impressive following of 294,700, made the "ultra-rare" discovery while on a trip to Tenby, in Wales. He spotted a walrus lounging near the seaside, a spectacle he termed as "completely surreal".

His excitement was palpable as he shared his encounter online, noting such sightings have occurred fewer than 10 times over three decades. James said: "There's an actual walrus, actually don't believe this.

"This is just, this is really surreal. It's incredible, just completely unreal." Walruses are seldom seen in Britain, but there have been instances, including Thor the walrus appearing in Hampshire in 2022 and later in Yorkshire on New Year's Eve.

In the year before, Wally the walrus made appearances along the UK and Irish west coasts and even reached northern Spain. Typically inhabiting the Arctic Circle, it's thought climate change might influence their rare visits to the UK.

However, witnessing one so close left James absolutely enchanted, adding: "Actually don't believe this. This is rare as rare gets really and it's a privilege to see this right now, just basking in the sun this morning in Tenby."

His post under @wildlifewithcookie went viral, garnering 157,000 likes and a flood of comments ranging from awe-struck to indifferent reactions.

One local shared: "It's there every year," while another added: "Brother got me excited over a walrus." A third commented: "That walrus comes to Tenby to that same spot regularly."

However, experts say it's improbable walruses will become commonplace in the UK due to its southern location being less than ideal for them, noting if a walrus is spotted, individuals should:

• Keep a safe distance from the animal
• Don't post the walrus' location on social media
• Give the walrus space and rest so it can build up its strength

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