A beluga whale, dubbed a “Russian spy” due to the unusual equipment it carried, has been found dead off the coast of Norway. The BBC reported on Monday that the whale’s body was discovered southwest of Risavika, Norway.
The whale first made headlines in May 2019 when it was spotted in the Finnmark region of northern Norway. At that time, it wore a strap marked with “Equipment St. Petersburg” and a camera holder, fueling speculation that the Russian Navy might have trained it for espionage purposes.
Following its discovery, the Norwegian government nicknamed the whale, translating the Norwegian word for whale, “Hval,” into a Russian-style name: “Hvaldimir.”
Hvaldimir, the whale known for its intriguing spy gear, had its equipment removed and was frequently seen in the waters off Norway and Sweden. Marine Mind, an animal protection non-profit, confirmed that Hvaldimir was alive just a day before he was found dead.
According to Marine Mind, Hvaldimir showed a notable interest in people and responded to hand signals. Marine biologist Sebastian Strand stated that no external injuries were observed during the initial examination. An autopsy is expected to reveal the precise cause of death.
Beluga whales are part of the Monodontidae family and are typically found in cold waters around Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Russia. They have an average lifespan of 40 to 50 years. Russia has not officially commented on Hvaldimir since the whale’s initial discovery.
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