Who was Hvaldimir, the beluga suspected of being a Russian spy

The beluga "accused" of being a spy for the Russians has died.It was first spotted in 2019 in Norway.The causes of death are unclear.

• Hvaldimir is a beluga spotted in Norway for the first time in 2019.
• It was suspected that the animal had been trained in Russia for espionage operations.
• The causes of death have not yet been ascertained.

Saturday 31 August Hvaldimir was found dead, the beluga whale first spotted in Norwegian waters in 2019, and suspected to have been trained in Russia for espionage operations.His body was found floating in Risavika Bay, southern Norway, by a man and his son on a fishing trip.The causes of death have not yet been ascertained.

Who was the beluga Hvaldimir?

Hvaldimir, whose nickname comes from the combination of the Norwegian word for whale – “hval” – and the name of the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, had become quite a well-known figure in the waters around Norway. He had been living in freedom for five years, interacting in a friendly and gentle way with people.After the discovery, the whale's body was recovered with a crane and taken to a nearby port, where it will undergo an autopsy.

The beluga was spotted for the first time by some fishermen near the island of Ingøya, in northern Norway.The animal wore a harness that included a holder for a small camera and a buckle with the words “St. Petersburg equipment.”This detail led the Norwegian intelligence agency to hypothesize that the whale was involved in a “Russian research program”, considering that the Russian navy is known to train cetaceans, such as whales and dolphins, for military uses.

Hvaldimir, approximately 4.2 meters long and weighing 1,225 kg, was initially found in difficulty and therefore taken to the port of Hammerfest, further south than the island of Ingøya.There, under the supervision of the Fisheries Directorate of Norway, the animal had been fed and cared for.Even then, Hvaldimir had shown a clear familiarity with humans, as evidenced by a video in which he reported a phone that had fallen into the sea to two tourists.After recovering, he left the port to continue swimming free in Norwegian waters.

Waiting for the autopsy

In the following years, Hvaldimir was monitored remotely by experts.Marine biologist Sebastian Strand, founder of the non-profit Marine Mind, has been following the animal for the last three years.The sudden death of Hvaldimir took everyone by surprise, especially since he seemed in good health until Friday.Furthermore, no external wounds were found on his body.Hvaldimir he was about 15 years old, a young age for a beluga, which can live up to 60 years.

Currently, Hvaldimir's body is kept in a refrigerated cell by Marine Mind, awaiting the autopsy which should determine the cause of death.