Animal rights groups have said that a beluga whale found dead in a bay off Norway’s southwestern coast was killed by a gunshot and had “multiple gunshot wounds”. It gained fame in the European country when the unusual harness on it led to speculation that it had been trained as a spy by Russia. The whale was found dead on August 31.
Organisations NOAH and One Whale said they had filed a complaint with Norwegian police demanding a “criminal investigation.”
The white beluga whale first appeared off the coast in Norway’s Finnmark region in 2019. It was nicknamed ‘Hvaldimir’, based on the Norwegian word for whale – hval – and its alleged ties with Russia, AFP reported.
On Monday, Hvaldimir’s body was taken to the local branch of the Norwegian Veterinary Institute for a post-mortem examination. The spokesperson said a report is expected in three weeks.
Upon viewing Hvaldimir’s body, Regina Crosby Hogg, head of One Whale, an organisation set up to track belugas that have become popular in the country over the past few years, said he had “multiple gunshot wounds”.
In a statement, NOAH director Siri Martinussen said the injuries on Hvaldimir’s body were “worrisome and of such a nature that the possibility of a criminal act cannot be ruled out – it is shocking”.
According to reports, the lifespan of the beluga whale was around 15 to 20 years. Usually, beluga whales can live for 40 to 60 years.
After finding Hvaldimir in 2019, marine biologists in Norway removed the man-made harness, which had a mount suitable for an action camera as well as the world name “Equipment St Petersburg” printed in English on plastic clasps.
Norwegian authorities claimed that the beluga whale may have escaped from an enclosure. Furthermore, they said that it may have been trained by the Russian Navy as Hvaldimir seemed accustomed to humans.
Moscow has not commented on the speculation.
Marine Mind, another organisation that tracks Hvaldimir’s movements, said the beluga whale’s carcass was found floating in the water at around 2:30pm (local time) on August 31.
