‘Spy’ whale Hvaldimir found dead off Norway, ‘touched thousands of people’s hearts’

NEW YORK – Hvaldimir, a beluga whale who had captured the public’s imagination since 2019 after he was spotted wearing a harness seemingly designed for a camera, was found dead on Aug 31 in Norway, according to a non-profit that worked to protect the whale.

Mr Sebastian Strand, founder of the non-profit, Marine Mind, said that he saw the dead whale floating near Risavika in south-western Norway on Aug 31.

Its cause of death was not immediately clear, he said. There were markings around the whale that could have been made by birds or other marine animals.

“It’s heartbreaking,” Mr Strand said. “He’s touched thousands of people’s hearts just here in Norway.”

Mr Strand added that he was working to send Hvaldimir to a facility where the carcass could be preserved long enough to try to determine a cause of death.

By some estimates, the whale was close to 4.2m long and weighed 1,224kg.

Hvaldimir, whose name is a combination of “hval”, the Norwegian word for whale, and the name “Vladimir”, was spotted in northern Norway in 2019, at first alarming fishermen.

Belugas tend to move in groups and typically inhabit remote Arctic areas. Adding to the intrigue around Hvaldimir, he was wearing a harness that identified it as “equipment” from St Petersburg. There also appeared to be a camera mount.

Some wondered if the whale was on a Russian reconnaissance mission. Russia has never claimed ownership of the whale.

If Hvaldimir was a spy, he was an exceptionally friendly one.

The whale showed signs of domestication, and was comfortable around people. He remained in busier waters than are typical for belugas, prompting concerns from scientists, activists and experts.

“He was completely acclimatised to human culture,” Mr Strand said, adding that it appeared Hvaldimir had “been in captivity for a lot of his life”.

Mr Strand and his team worked to educate curious residents and tourists about the whale, to protect it as much as possible as it remained outside its usual habitat.

In 2023, Hvaldimir was seen off the coast of Sweden, a southward journey that took him farther away from food sources and on a path toward more industrial and dangerous harbours.

Mr Strand said that he had been promoting safety measures for Hvaldimir, who had so far enjoyed a calm year, and had seemed to be in good health on Aug 30, based on reports.

“I’m not sure what’s happened,” Mr Strand said. “But we’ll find out.” NYTIMES