Russian ‘spy whale’ found dead: what happened?

Beluga Hvaldimir, known worldwide for his suspected role as a Russian spy, was found dead off the coast of Norway.

The estimated 4.2-metre-long and 1,220-kilo animal lived to be only 15 years old, while this type of whale normally has a life expectancy of 35 to 50 years. It is unclear for now what this world-famous beluga died of.

White whale Hvaldimir was first spotted by fishermen in 2019. At the time, it was wearing a harness that referred to Russia (inside were the words Equipment St Petersburg) and was apparently designed to attach an action camera. This makes many people think it was once trained by the Russians to spy. Although marine biologists removed its harness, Hvaldimir was soon nicknamed the ‘spy whale’.

Non-profit organisations now want to ensure that Hvaldimir's carcass can be sent to a specialised facility so that its cause of death can be determined.

(FVDV for Tagtik/Illustration picture: Unsplash)