Hvaldimir seemed remarkably at ease around people.
New Delhi:
A beluga whale named Hvaldimir that captured the world’s attention in 2019 has been found dead in Norway, a report says. The 14-foot-long, 2,700-pound whale was spotted five years ago wearing a harness apparently designed for a camera, prompting the internet to nickname him Hvaldimir the Spy Whale.
The harness bore the marking “Equipment” from St. Petersburg, leading to widespread speculation that the whale was part of a Russian reconnaissance mission. The mystery deepened when Russia made no official claim of ownership, leaving the world to wonder whether this whale was a spy or just an unlucky whale caught in a strange circumstance.
The beluga, whose name is a portmanteau of the Norwegian word for whale, “hval,” and the Russian name Vladimir, quickly became a subject of worldwide fascination. Unlike other belugas, which typically inhabit the remote and frigid Arctic waters, Hvaldimir seemed unusually at ease with humans, leading experts to believe that he had been captive for most of his life.
“It's heartbreaking. He's touched the hearts of thousands of people here in Norway,” said Sebastian Strand, founder of the nonprofit Marine Mind, which works to protect Hvaldimir, as quoted by the DailyExpertNews.
Last year, Norway asked its citizens to avoid any contact with Hvaldimir, who was seen in a fjord near Oslo.
“The white whale known as “Hvaldimir” is now living in the inner Oslofjord. This means that it has arrived in a very densely populated area, and the risk of the whale being injured by human contact has therefore increased significantly,” a statement from the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries said.