A beluga whale known as Hvaldimir, who gained fame in Norway due to a suspicious harness that led to theories about Russian espionage, has died. The whale’s body was discovered on August 31 in Risavika Bay, southern Norway, by a father and son out fishing.
Hvaldimir first attracted attention in 2019 when he was spotted near Norway’s Arctic coast wearing a harness with what appeared to be a mount for a small camera. This unusual discovery sparked rumors and jokes that the whale might have been a Russian spy, given the maritime border shared by Norway and Russia.
Initially, there were concerns that Hvaldimir might have been shot, leading two Animal rights groups to file complaints. Norwegian police launched an investigation into these claims. However, a recent autopsy revealed that the whale’s death was caused by a stick, measuring 35cm in length, which had become lodged in its mouth. The autopsy also showed that Hvaldimir’s stomach was empty and most of its organs had broken down.
Police concluded that there was no evidence of human activity directly leading to the whale’s death. They dismissed allegations that Hvaldimir had been shot, noting only superficial injuries on the whale. A full report is expected to be released in two weeks.
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