We Now Know How the 'Russian Spy' Whale Died

UPDATE Sep 10, 2024 9:35 AM CDT

On Monday, Norwegian police said they'd found zero evidence that supposed "Russian spy" whale Hvaldimir, found dead in Norway's waters last month, had been shot to death, as some animal rights activists had alleged, per the AP. Now, an answer on the marine creature's premature demise: Cops say the beluga died after a 14-inch-long, 1-inch-wide stick got stuck in its mouth, reports the Guardian. It's not clear how the stick led to the whale's death, but a police statement noted the "autopsy showed that its stomach was empty. In addition, most organs had broken down." Cops add there's "nothing in the investigations that have been carried out to establish that it is human activity that has directly led to Hvaldimir's death," and so no further investigation is necessary.

Sep 2, 2024 3:00 AM CDT

A white beluga whale first spotted in Norway not far from Russian waters with a harness that ignited rumors he may be a Moscow spy, has been found dead, per the AP. The Norwegian public broadcaster NRK reported that the whale carcass was found floating at the Risavika Bay in southern Norway Saturday by a father and son who were fishing. The beluga—named "Hvaldimir" by combining the Norwegian word for whale (hval) and Russian President Vladimir Putin's first name—was lifted out of the water with a crane and taken to a nearby harbor, where experts will examine it. "It's not immediately clear what the cause of death is," marine biologist Sebastian Strand told NRK, adding that no major external injuries were visible on the animal.

Strand, who has monitored Hvaldimir's adventures for the past three years on behalf of the Norway-based Marine Mind non-profit organization, said the news is "absolutely horrible." The whale "was apparently in good condition as of (Friday). So we just have to figure out what might have happened here," he added. The 14-foot-long and 2,700-pound whale was first spotted by fishermen near the northern island of Ingoya, not far from the Arctic city of Hammerfest, in April 2019 wearing a harness and what appeared to be a mount for a small camera and a buckle marked with the text "Equipment St. Petersburg."

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That sparked allegations the beluga was "a spy whale." The Russian navy is known to have trained whales for military purposes. Over the years, the beluga was seen in several Norwegian coastal towns, and it quickly became clear that he was very tame and enjoyed playing with people, NRK said. NGO Marine Mind said on its site that Hvaldimir was interested in people and responded to hand signals. "Based on these observations, it appeared as if Hvaldimir arrived in Norway by crossing over from Russian waters, where it is presumed he was held in captivity," it said. Norwegian media also have speculated that Hvaldimir could have been used as "a therapy whale" of some sort in Russia.

(More beluga whale stories.)