Hvladimir the celebrity beluga was most probably killed, two Norwegian animal rights group have claimed
A beluga whale once alleged by Western media to be a Russian spy was likely shot dead, two animal rights groups have claimed, after the animal’s body was found in Norway last weekend.
OneWhale and NOAH announced on Thursday that they had filed a complaint with Norwegian police, urging them to launch a criminal probe into the death of the animal, named Hvaldimir. The activists circulated several images of the deceased whale, with multiple apparent gunshot wounds visible on its body.
“When I saw his body and the multiple injuries, I immediately knew he had been killed by gunshots. I even saw a bullet lodged in his body. There is no question that this kind, gentle animal was senselessly murdered,” Regina Haug, founder of OneWhale, a group dedicated to the protection of Hvaldimir, said.
The whale was found dead in Risavika Bay in southern Norway over the weekend and is currently being examined by experts from the Norwegian Veterinary Institute. The official results of the autopsy are expected to arrive “within three weeks.”
“The injuries on the whale are alarming and of a nature that cannot rule out a criminal act – it is shocking. Given the suspicion of a criminal act, it is crucial that the police are involved quickly. Hvaldimir was significant to many, and all facts must be brought to light regarding his death,” said Siri Martinsen, director of NOAH, Norway’s largest animal rights group.
Police confirmed they have received the complaint from the groups and will now “determine whether there are reasonable motives to launch an investigation.” The Veterinary Institute told AFP it will notify the authorities separately should the autopsy show “something suspicious.”
The claim, however, has been disputed by Marine Mind, an animal rights group that has long been at odds with OneWhale on how to protect Hvaldimir. “We saw markings but it’s too early to say what the cause of death was,” the group’s head, Sebastian Strand, told AFP, suggesting that at least some of the wounds were caused by sea birds.
The now-deceased celebrity white beluga whale first appeared off the coast in Norway’s far-northern Finnmark region in 2019. At the time of its discovery, the animal allegedly wore an action camera harness labeled ‘Equipment St. Petersburg,’ prompting wild media speculation that it was actually a “Russian spy whale” on a mission. Some, however, suggested the beluga was actually a trained “therapy whale.”
The animal was nicknamed ‘Hvaldimir’ – a play on the Norwegian word for whale (hval) and the name of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The marine mammal was known for being friendly to humans, often approaching boats and interacting with seafarers.
