Celebrity ‘Russian spy’ whale with harness found dead in Norway

A white beluga whale named “Hvaldimir,” initially spotted in Norway near Russian waters, has been found dead. This whale gained notoriety due to speculations about its background, as it was seen with a harness that led to rumors of it being a Russian spy.

The whale’s carcass was discovered floating in the Risavika Bay, located in southern Norway. The discovery was made on Saturday by a father and son who were out fishing. They reported the find to the authorities, confirming it was indeed the famed Hvaldimir.

Hvaldimir, whose name is a blend of the Norwegian word for whale — “hval” — and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s first name, was retrieved from the water using a crane and transported to a nearby harbor. There, experts will conduct an examination to determine the cause of death.

Marine biologist Sebastian Strand reported, “Unfortunately, we found Hvaldimir floating in the sea. He has passed away but it’s not immediately clear what the cause of death is.” Strand also noted that no major external injuries were visible on the whale’s body.

Strand, who has been tracking Hvaldimir’s whereabouts and health for the past three years through the Norway-based Marine Mind non-profit organization, expressed his deep sorrow over the whale’s sudden demise. “It’s absolutely horrible,” he said. “He was apparently in good condition as of (Friday). So we just have to figure out what might have happened here.”

Hvaldimir was first seen by fishermen near the northern island of Ingøya, close to the Arctic city of Hammerfest, in April 2019. He was wearing a harness that looked like it was designed to hold a small camera, and the device had a buckle marked with the text “Equipment St. Petersburg.”

This sighting led to widespread assumptions and speculation that the beluga was a “spy whale.” Experts pointed out that the Russian navy has a history of training whales for military objectives, further fueling these suspicions.

Over the years, Hvaldimir was spotted in multiple coastal towns across Norway. It became apparent that he was very friendly and enjoyed human interaction. According to NRK, the whale’s sociable nature and responsiveness to hand signals fascinated many.

The NGO Marine Mind commented on its site that Hvaldimir displayed a keen interest in people and responded well to hand gestures. “Based on these observations, it appeared as if Hvaldimir arrived in Norway by crossing over from Russian waters, where it is presumed he was held in captivity.”

Norwegian media outlets have speculated whether Hvaldimir could have been used as a type of “therapy whale” in Russia given his interactive behavior and familiarity with human gestures and signals.

The death of Hvaldimir marks the end of a series of intriguing encounters and theories about his past. As the world awaits the results of the examinations to determine what led to his death, Hvaldimir’s story remains a poignant example of the complex and often mysterious relationship between marine life and humans.

Source: AP