Mystery solved: Beluga whale Hvaldimir dies of tragic accident
The Norwegian police have reported that Hvaldimir, the beluga whale spotted five years ago in Norwegian waters and found dead on August 31, died due to a stick lodged in its mouth. The animal's death was not related to human activity.
8:12 AM EDT, October 6, 2024
Hvaldimir's body was found floating on the water a week ago by a father and son fishing in southern Norway. The name Hvaldimir comes from the Norwegian word "hval," meaning whale, combined with the name of Vladimir Putin.
Hvaldimir, a beluga whale, gained media attention in 2019 when it approached fishermen in the Norwegian Sea, wearing a harness with camera mounts and a label reading "St Petersburg equipment.” It is suspected that the Russian Navy might have trained him for espionage tasks.
The Norwegian police launched an investigation following reports by two animal rights organizations, One Whale and NOAH, which suspected that the whale had been shot.
Shocking autopsy results
The autopsy revealed that a stick measuring 14 inches long and 1 inch wide was lodged in Hvaldimir's mouth. The animal had an empty stomach, and most of its organs were dysfunctional.
Since "there is nothing in the investigations that have been carried out to establish that it is human activity that has directly led to Hvaldimir's death," the investigation was closed, Norwegian police reported.
Fifteen-year-old Hvaldimir, measuring 14 feet and weighing 2,700 pounds, was not old for a beluga, which can live up to 60 years.
