Norway: Dead beluga whale found, probably a Russian “spy”

A beluga whale previously spotted in Norway not far from Russian waters has been found dead wearing a harness that has sparked rumors that it might be a Moscow “spy.” Norwegian public broadcaster Nrk reported that the whale's carcass was found floating in Risavika Bay in southern Norway on Saturday by a father and son fishing.

The beluga, whose nickname Hvaldimir is a combination of the word “hval”, which means whale in Norwegian, and the name of Russian President Vladimir Putin, was pulled out of the water by crane and taken to a nearby port where experts will examine him. Marine biologist Sebastian Strand told Nrk: “Unfortunately, we found Hvaldimir floating at sea. He is dead, but it is not immediately clear what caused the death.” He added that the animal had no visible serious external injuries.

Strand, who has followed Hvaldimir's adventures for the past three years for Norwegian non-profit organization Marine Mind, said the whale's sudden death had hit him hard. “It's absolutely horrific,” Strand said. “Apparently he was in good condition on Friday, so we just need to find out what might have happened.”