A beluga whale suspected of having been trained as a spy by Russia has been found dead off the Norwegian coast. The animal, nicknamed “Hvaldimir”, was first spotted in Norwegian waters five years ago with a GoPro camera attached to a harness that read “Equipment of St Petersburg”, sparking rumors that it may have been a part of the Russian military’s marine mammal program.
The lifeless body of the whale was discovered floating off the southwestern town of Risavika and was taken to the nearest port for examination. The organisation Marine Mind, which has been tracking Hvaldimir’s movements for years, reported the discovery.
Hvaldimir first approached Norwegian boats in April 2019 near the island of Ingoya, about 260 miles from Murmansk, where Russia’s Northern Fleet is based. The sighting attracted attention because belugas are rarely seen this far south of the high Arctic.
The discovery led to an investigation by Norway’s domestic intelligence agency, which later stated that the whale was likely to have been trained by the Russian army, as he seemed accustomed to humans. The whale became known locally as “Hvaldimir,” a pun on the Norwegian word for whale, “hval,” and President Vladimir Putin.
Russia has a history of training marine mammals such as dolphins for military purposes. The Barents Observer website has identified whale pens near naval bases in the northwest area of Murmansk, further fueling the suspicion that Hvaldimir may have been a part of the Russian military’s program.
The cause of Hvaldimir’s death is currently unknown, as his body had no obvious injuries. Marine Mind founder Sebastian Strand told AFP news agency that the organisation has managed to retrieve the remains and put them in a cooled area, in preparation for a necropsy by the veterinary institute.
With an estimated age of about 15, Hvaldimir was not old for a beluga whale, whose lifespan can reach 60 years. The discovery of the whale’s body has raised questions about the fate of other marine mammals that may have been involved in Russia’s military programs.
Melissa Enoch
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