The famous beluga whale known as Hvaldimir, who gained fame as a supposed “Russian spy,” was found dead over the weekend in Risavika Bay in southern Norway. Hvaldimir had become well-known after being spotted in April 2019 off Norway’s northern coast, wearing a harness with the words ‘Equipment St. Petersburg.’ This led to jokes that he might be a spy sent from Russia, and he was given the name Hvaldimir, a mix of the Norwegian word for whale and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s name.
Marine biologist Sebastian Strand, who had been watching over Hvaldimir for years, reported the sad news. Strand said that Hvaldimir was seen swimming and diving just hours before he was found floating lifeless in the water. The cause of death is still unknown, and there was no major damage to his body except for some bird pecking.
“We were shocked to find him like this,” Strand said. “He seemed perfectly fine just a few hours before. Now we have to figure out what went wrong.”
Hvaldimir had been a friendly whale who liked to interact with people, often approaching boats and responding to hand signals. The One Whale organization, which monitored his health and provided regular check-ups, had long been worried about his safety. They had even tried to relocate him to a safer environment further north, but there were delays and objections.
Regina Crosby Haug from the One Whale organization expressed her sadness, saying they were very close to moving him but were too late. She hoped his death wasn’t caused by anything humans did.
Hvaldimir’s body is now being examined to find out how he died. The mystery of this beloved whale continues, leaving many questions unanswered about his sudden and untimely death.
