A white beluga whale suspected of being a Russian spy that was found dead off the coast of Norway suffered “multiple gunshot wounds”, animal rights activists said.
Norwegian public broadcaster NRK reported that Hvaldimir’s body was found floating in Risavika Bay in southern Norway on Saturday by a father and son who were fishing.
The beluga, named after a combination of the Norwegian word for whale – hval – and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s first name, was lifted from the water by crane and taken to a nearby port where it will be examined by experts.
Animal rights groups said Hvaldimir was found riddled with bullets, adding that he was shot in a “heinous crime”. One Whale founder Regina Haug vowed: “We will seek justice for Hvaldimir.”
However, marine biologist Sebastian Strand told NRK: “Unfortunately, we found Hvaldimir floating in the sea.
“It has passed away, but it is not immediately clear what the cause of death is,” he added, adding that no major external injuries were seen on the animal.
Hvaldimir, a white beluga whale that was first spotted near Russian waters wearing a harness and sparked rumors it could be a spy for Moscow, has been found dead
The 14-foot whale was first spotted by fishermen near the northern island of Ingoya, not far from the Arctic town of Hammerfest, in April 2019.
Hvaldimir was spotted off the coast of Norway in 2019. The whale is believed to be following ships closely.
OneWhale worked with the Norwegian government to integrate Hvaldimir into a nearby module
When they found Hvaldimir he was wearing a harness and what appeared to be a holder for a small camera and a buckle marked “Team St. Petersburg.”
Mr Strand, who has followed Hvaldimir’s adventures for the past three years on behalf of the Norway-based non-profit organisation Marine Mind, said he was deeply affected by the whale’s sudden death.
“It’s absolutely horrible,” Strand said. “It was apparently in good condition on Friday. We just need to figure out what could have happened here.”
The 14-foot whale was first spotted by fishermen near the northern island of Ingoya, not far from the Arctic town of Hammerfest, in April 2019, wearing a harness and what appeared to be a mount for a small camera and a buckle marked: “Team St. Petersburg.”
This sparked accusations that the beluga was a “spy whale.” Experts said the Russian navy is known to have trained whales for military purposes.
The harness and camera mount sparked accusations that the beluga was a “spy whale.” Experts said the Russian navy is known to have trained whales for military purposes.
Over the years, the beluga was spotted in several coastal towns in Norway and it quickly became apparent that he was very gentle and enjoyed playing with people, NRK said.
Hvaldimir was estimated to be between 12 and 20 years old and weighed 2,700 pounds.
Over the years, the beluga was spotted in several Norwegian coastal towns and it quickly became clear that it was very docile and enjoyed playing with people, NRK said.
Marine Mind said on its website that Hvaldimir was very interested in people and responded to hand signals.
“Based on these observations, it appears that Hvaldimir arrived in Norway by crossing from Russian waters, where he is presumed to have been held captive,” it said.
Norwegian media have speculated that Hvaldimir may have been used as a “therapy whale” of some sort in Russia.
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