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.
BREAKING ⚡️⚡️⚡️
The famous beluga whale known as Hvaldimir, who was once thought to be a Russian spy due to a harness labeled ‘Equipment St. Petersburg,’ was found dead in Norway’s Risavika Bay. Hvaldimir, beloved for his friendly behavior towards people, was seen swimming just… pic.twitter.com/WN6SDiD547
“We were shocked to find him like this,” Strand said. “He seemed perfectly fine just a few hours...
