Hvaldimir, the beluga whale that captured global attention after being spotted wearing a mysterious harness in 2019, was found dead on Saturday (August 31) in southwestern Norway. The discovery was made by Sebastian Strand, the founder of the nonprofit organisation Marine Mind.....CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
Strand found the whale’s lifeless body floating near Risavika.
Although the cause of death remains unknown, Strand noted markings around the whale that could have been caused by birds or other marine animals.
“It’s heartbreaking,” Strand was quoted as saying by the New York Times. “He’s touched thousands of people’s hearts just here in Norway.”
Efforts are underway to preserve Hvaldimir’s carcass for further examination in hopes of determining the cause of death. The whale was estimated to be nearly 14 feet long and weighed approximately 2,700 pounds.
Hvaldimir first made headlines in 2019 when he was spotted in northern Norway, wearing a harness that seemed designed to hold a camera.
The harness bore an inscription linking it to St. Petersburg, fueling speculation that Hvaldimir might have been trained by the Russian military for reconnaissance purposes. Despite these speculations, Russia has never claimed the whale.
However, if Hvaldimir had been a spy, he was an unusually friendly one. The beluga showed the signs of domestication and was notably comfortable around humans, often staying in busier waters that are not typical for his species, which usually inhabit remote Arctic regions.
“He was completely acclimatized to human culture,” Strand said, suggesting that the whale had likely spent much of his life in captivity.
Over the years, Strand and his team at Marine Mind worked to educate the public and protect Hvaldimir as he navigated waters far from his natural habitat. Last year, the whale was spotted off the coast of Sweden, a troubling southward journey that took him away from his food sources and closer to industrial harbors, raising concerns for his safety.
Strand had been advocating for increased safety measures for Hvaldimir, who had appeared to be in good health as recently as Friday, according to reports.
“I’m not sure what’s happened,” Strand said. “But we’ll find out….CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ARTICLE>>>
