New Delhi: A beluga whale named Hvaldimir, which had captured the public interest in 2019 after being spotted wearing a harness seemingly designed for a camera, was found dead in Norway, a report said. The 14-foot-long and 2,700-pound whale was called “Russian spy” as it wore a harness labeled ‘equipment’ from St Petersburg, prompting the internet to nickname him Hvaldimir the spy whale.
According to a nonprofit organistion called Marine Mind, which worked to protect Hvaldimir, the dead whale was found floating near Risavika in southwestern Norway on Saturday afternoon.
The beluga whale quickly became a subject of global fascination due to the harness on it. The whale also showed signs of domestication, and was comfortable around people unlike other belugas, which typically inhabit the remote and frigid Arctic waters.
The mystery deepened as Moscow never claimed ownership of the whale despite theories about a Russian reconnaissance mission.
"It's heartbreaking. He's touched thousands of people's hearts just here in Norway," Sebastian Strand, founder of the nonprofit Marine Mind, was quoted as saying by the New York Times.
Last year, Norway requested its citizens to avoid any type of contact with Hvaldimir.
"The white whale known as "Hvaldimir" now resides in the inner Oslofjord. This means that it has arrived in a very densely populated area, and the risk that the whale may be injured due to human contact has thus become significantly greater," a statement by the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries read.