Hvaldimir, a beluga whale who first came into the spotlight in 2019 after it was spotted wearing what appeared to be a camera, was found dead in Norway on Saturday, according to a nonprofit that worked to protect the whale. Marine Mind, founded by Sebastian Strand, saw the whale's body floating near Risavika in southwestern Norway.
According to The New York Times, the cause of death was not immediately clear. Markings were found on the whale that could have been made by birds on other marine animals, the report said. It quoted Strand as saying that he is trying to transport the carcass to a facility where it can be preserved long enough to determine the cause of death.
The whale was first spotted in 2019, wearing a harness that was identified as “equipment” from St Petersburg. There also appeared to be a camera mount, the NYT reported. This led to suspicion that the whale was a ‘Russian spy’ on a reconaissance mission, but Moscow has never claimed ownership of the whale.
The 14-foot-long, 1,224-kg whale swam alone while beluga whales typically swim in packs and inhabit remote Arctic areas. According to Marine Mind’s website, little is known about Hvaldimir’s life before he reached Norway. In addition to the spy theory, another scenario was proposed that he may have been a therapy whale with the Russian military. Strand said it appeared Hvaldimir may have been captivity for a long time, although it is not known whether he was captured as a calf or an adult.
Hvaldimir was considered exceptionally friendly, showed signs of domestication and was comfortable around people. Hvaldimir was very interested in people and responded to hand signals, Marine Mind noted.
According to Marine Mind, when he first arrived in Norway, Hvaldimir became a semi-permanent resident of a town in northern Norway, above the Arctic Circle, for about three months. During this time, he was observed in poor condition and attempts were made to manage his care through food by the organisation, Norwegian Orca Survey. Hvaldimir was monitored for some time, during which it was observed that he would hunt on his own. Hvaldimir left the town in July 2019.
The Marine Mind team worked to educate curious residents and tourists about the whale to protect it as much as possible.
Strand told NYT that Hvaldimir appeared to be in good health on Friday, based on their reports. “It’s heartbreaking,” Strand told NYT. “He’s touched thousands of people’s hearts just here in Norway.”