“Hvaldimir,” the Beluga Whale Once Suspected of Being Russian Spy, Found Dead

Hvaldimir, the white beluga whale who captured international attention after being spotted in Norwegian waters with a harness, sparking rumors of a Russian spy, has been found dead, CNN reports.

The whale’s carcass was discovered floating in Risavika Bay on Saturday by a father and son fishing in the area, according to the Norwegian public broadcaster NRK.

Marine biologist Sebastian Strand, who had been monitoring Hvaldimir for three years on behalf of the Marine Mind non-profit organization, confirmed the news, expressing deep sadness.

“It’s absolutely horrible,” Strand told NRK. “He was apparently in good condition as of (Friday). So we just have to figure out what might have happened here.”

Hvaldimir, whose name is a combination of the Norwegian word for whale – “hval” – and Russian President Putin’s first name, Vladimir, was first sighted in April 2019 near the northern island of Ingøya, not far from the Arctic city of Hammerfest. The whale was wearing a harness with what appeared to be a camera mount and a buckle marked with the text “Equipment St. Petersburg.”

The unusual discovery fueled speculation that the beluga might be a “spy whale” trained by the Russian navy.

Over the years, Hvaldimir was seen in various Norwegian coastal towns, becoming known for his tame nature and fondness for interacting with humans. Marine Mind noted that Hvaldimir responded to hand signals and seemed particularly interested in people.