Beluga whale accused of spying for Russia may have been shot

Animal rights activists in Norway have filed a police complaint demanding a criminal investigation into the death of Hvalidmir, the beluga whale suspected of being a Russian spy. The animal was found dead off the Norwegian coast on Saturday, shocking animal rights activists and fans around the world who had been following his unusual story.

While the veterinary institute that performed the autopsy has not yet released final results, preliminary findings suggest that the whale died from gunshot wounds, according to the two organizations that filed the police report: the nonprofit One Whale and the Norwegian animal rights organization NOAH.

“The whale's injuries are alarming and of a nature that cannot rule out a criminal act – it is shocking,” said Siri Martinsen, veterinarian and head of NOAH, in a statement provided to Forbes on Wednesday. “Given the suspicion of a criminal act, it is crucial that the police are quickly involved. Hvaldimir was important to many and all the facts surrounding his death must be brought to light.”

One Whale and NOAH have submitted their report to the Sandnes Police District and the Norwegian National Authority for the Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime.

“When I saw his body and the numerous injuries, I knew immediately that he had been killed by gunshots,” said Regina Haug, founder of OneWhale, in the statement. “I even saw a bullet lodged in his body. There is no doubt that this kind, gentle animal was senselessly murdered. We will demand justice for Hvaldimir and hope that someone comes forward with information about his killing.”

One Whale has been committed to protecting Hvaldimir and relocating him to a wild population of other belugas since he was first spotted and released from his harness in northern Norway in 2019. In 2021, the whale suffered a serious injury that may have been caused by a boat or fishing equipment. In a video statement posted on Instagram and Facebook, One Whale's Haug noted that Hvaldimir was in busy waters off Stavanger, Norway, at the time of his death, “so we assume it was not a natural death.”

Why people thought Hvalidmir was a spy

The male white beluga whale made headlines around the world after fishermen spotted him in northern Norway wearing a harness fitted with a camera mount and a buckle marked “Equipment St. Petersburg.” The unusual outfit led to unconfirmed speculation that the Russian military had trained the whale as an underwater spy.

Hvaldimir’s nickname combines “hval,” the Norwegian word for whale, with Vladimir, like Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Marine Mind, a Norway-based conservation nonprofit that has been tracking the whale's movements for years, found his lifeless body floating near the southwestern town of Risavika over the weekend after locals learned of a sighting. The organization saw Hvaldimir and his compelling backstory as an opportunity to educate the public about the marine mammals' plight. Like One Whale, it has campaigned for the animal's protection over the years.

ForbesBeluga whale accused of spying for Russia found dead off the coast of NorwayFrom Leslie Katz

Hvaldimir is estimated to have died between the ages of 14 and 17, relatively young for beluga whales, which can live up to 60. Marine Mind is deeply saddened, its founder Sebastian Strand said by text message on Wednesday.

However, the organization is not prepared to publicly speculate on the cause of death.

“Although certain traces may be convincing, we cannot consider them as conclusive evidence until the institute and the investigating experts have given their assessment,” Strand said. “Since we cannot make conclusive statements, we have refrained from sharing our speculations.”

Beluga whales, which can grow to over six metres in length, live mainly in the Arctic Ocean and adjacent seas. The World Wildlife Foundation classifies them as a near threatened species, meaning they may be endangered in the near future. Hvaldimir can often be seen approaching boats and in one video even playfully tossing a rugby ball back and forth with the passengers.

“Over the last five years, he has touched the lives of tens of thousands and brought people together in awe of the wonders of nature,” Marine Mind said in a Facebook post after the famous whale's death. “His presence taught us the importance of protecting the oceans, and in the process, he also taught us more about ourselves.”