The death of a beloved white beluga whale has turned into a mystery in Norway as animal rights groups speculate whether he was actually assassinated. The beluga, nicknamed Hvaldimir, rose to fame in 2019 after being spotted wearing a specially-made harness with mounts for a camera, sparking claims that the animal may have been trained by the Russian military. Two Norwegian animal rights groups alleged on Wednesday that the whale was “shot to death” after Hvaldimir was found dead over the weekend in southern Norway.
OneWhale and NOAH are calling for a criminal investigation “based on compelling evidence that the whale was killed by gunshot wounds,” OneWhale, which describes itself as a “nonprofit committed to protecting Hvaldimir and relocating him to a wild population of belugas,” wrote in an Instagram post. It added that “several veterinarians, biologists, and ballistics experts have reviewed [the] evidence of Hvaldimir’s injuries, determining that the whale’s death was the result of a criminal act.” The post included pictures of what appeared to be holes and streaks of blood on the lifeless body of the whale. CNN is unable to independently verify their claim that the whale was shot.
The organizations filed a police report to the Sandnes Police District and the Norwegian National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime. The Southwestern Police District confirmed to CNN on Wednesday that it has received a request to investigate the death of Hvaldimir, though the unit has not yet determined whether it will open a formal inquiry. “I don’t think we’ve had a case like this before,” said Southwestern Police District Superintendent Victor Fenne-jensen, who declined to comment on whether his department had investigated rumors that the whale was a Russian spy. He added, Hvaldimir was “kind of a celebrity.”
However, Marine Mind, another non-profit that advocates for protecting marine life, has called the public to “refrain from speculation” until the country’s Veterinary Institute has finished its own investigation. It was Marine Mind that found Hvaldimir’s body in the bay. “When we found Hvaldimir on Saturday, it was not possible to immediately determine the cause of death, and therefore it is important to refrain from speculation until the institute has completed its work,” Marine Mind posted to its Facebook page on Wednesday.
The Whale's Mysterious Past
Hvaldimir’s suspected ties to the Russian military have been the subject of much speculation since he was first discovered in 2019. The beluga, whose name combines the Norwegian word for whale (hval) and Russian President Vladimir Putin's first name, was discovered by fishermen off the coast of Norway wearing a camera harness that read “Equipment St. Petersburg.” The harness, experts said, was “specially made” and had “mounts for GoPro cameras on each side of it.” The fact that the harness clips read “Equipment St. Petersburg” only contributed to the popular theory that he came from Murmansk, Russia, and was trained by the Russian navy.
The Investigation Begins
The cause of Hvaldimir's death was unclear, so a decision was made to conduct an autopsy. However, before the autopsy could be completed, two animal rights organizations, OneWhale and NOAH, said there was “compelling evidence suggesting that Hvaldimir’s death was caused by intentional human-inflicted injury.” Although results of his autopsy were still pending, the groups said preliminary findings indicated that the whale was killed by “gunshot wounds.” “Several veterinarians, biologists, and ballistics experts have reviewed photographic evidence, including close-ups of Hvaldimir’s injuries,” their statement said. “Their assessments strongly suggest that the whale’s death was the result of a criminal act, prompting the need for immediate police involvement.” The groups shared photos with what appear to be streaks of blood and holes in the lifeless body of the whale, who was 14 feet long and 2,700 pounds according to the Associated Press . NBC News could not independently verify the nature of the apparent injuries.
Regina Haug, founder of OneWhale, told NBC News that Hvaldimir was believed to be approximately 15 years old, relatively young given that beluga whales can live 60 to 70 years in the wild. “The whale I knew and loved was a strong, capable and energetic animal yet so gentle, with a sweet and cheeky personality,” Haug said after seeing the whale's body. “It was gut-wrenching to see this beautiful animal now lifeless. It felt like my heart had fallen into my stomach. The pain of losing him to a senseless killing is an anguish which, right now, feels impossible to fix.”
A report was filed to local police and the Norwegian National Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime, OneWhale and NOAH said. The Sør-West police issued a statement Wednesday confirming they had received the report from the groups and would assess it to see if an investigation is warranted. It had no further comment on the case.
Awaiting Results
The Norwegian Veterinary Institute told NBC News in an emailed statement Wednesday that Hvaldimir’s autopsy was still ongoing and they could not comment on results until there was enough information to reach a conclusion. “We have together with the Directorate of Fisheries of Norway been in contact with the police ahead of the autopsy, and will of course involve them if we uncover anything indicating anything suspicious,” the statement said. “The Norwegian Veterinary Institute has a lot of experiences working with forensic cases.”
OneWhale and NOAH said they hoped possible eyewitnesses or anyone with information about the whale’s death would come forward. Hvaldimir’s death came amid a campaign to move him to safer waters in northern Norway, where he could have joined other belugas, the groups’ statement added. This put them at odds with a third nonprofit, Marine Mind, which voiced concerns about the relocation. It was Marine Mind that announced it had found Hvaldimir’s lifeless body floating in the harbor on Saturday.
CEO Sebastian Strand told NBC News on Wednesday that some of Hvaldimir’s injuries may have been caused by sea birds but that he was staying away from speculation on the possible cause of death until the autopsy results were out. “The only way to know for sure what those injuries were will be the official statement from the veterinary institute that is doing the autopsy,” Strand said.
Was Hvaldimir Really a Spy?
The theory that Hvaldimir was a Russian spy was not universally accepted. While his harness, equipped with a mount for a GoPro camera, did fuel speculation about his past, some experts believed he was simply a whale who had escaped from captivity. Others pointed to his friendly and social behavior as evidence that he was not a spy. Regardless of whether he was a spy or not, Hvaldimir's story captured the imaginations of people around the world. He became a symbol of the complex relationship between humans and animals, and his death has raised important questions about the ethics of animal captivity and the dangers of human interference in the natural world.
Remembering Hvaldimir
Hvaldimir's story serves as a reminder of the unique intelligence and social capacity of whales. He also underscores the importance of protecting marine life from human-inflicted harm. His death has ignited a debate about the role of humans in the natural world, and it remains to be seen whether the investigation into his death will provide answers about his mysterious past and the circumstances surrounding his untimely end. Whether he was a spy, a runaway from captivity, or a simply a friendly whale who loved to play, Hvaldimir will be remembered for his gentle nature and the impact he had on people who were lucky enough to encounter him.
