The well-known white beluga whale suspected of being a Russian spy may have been guarding “Kremlin property” when it was found dead off Norway’s coast, according to a new documentary.

The whale, nicknamed Hvaldimir-a combination of the Norwegian word for whale, hval, and the name of Russian President Vladimir Putin- was found floating in Risavika Bay in southern Norway in September. Fishermen first spotted the 14-foot whale near Ingoya in northern Norway in April 2019.

The beluga dubbed the “spy whale,” was wearing a harness with a small camera and a buckle marked with “Equipment St Petersburg,” fueling suspicions of its role as a spy, the Guardian reported. 

After a 10-month investigation, the BBC documentary Secrets of the Spy Whale uncovered evidence suggesting Hvaldimir may have been trained as a covert “guard whale.” Speaking to The Observer, film director Jennifer Shaw noted, “Our findings about Hvaldimir’s potential role bring us closer to solving the mystery, but they also raise further questions about what Russia might be guarding in the Arctic, and why.”

How do animals become guards?

The documentary team consulted a former dolphin trainer and experts from an early US Navy program to understand how animals could serve as guards. Blair Irvine explained that dolphins can detect the bubbles and noise created by swimmers, making them highly effective at tracking intruders due to their sensitive hearing.

Shaw explained that Hvaldimir was likely trained similarly and was seen using his nose to target specific objects, hinting that he may have been used for security patrol rather than espionage.

On September 1, Hvaldimir was found dead, and some animal rights groups initially suggested he had been shot. However, an autopsy revealed a 35 cm by 3 cm stick lodged in his mouth and some superficial injuries, but Norwegian police found no evidence indicating he was shot. “There is nothing in the investigations to suggest that human activity directly caused Hvaldimir’s death,” police stated.

New Delhi:

A beluga whale “Hvaldimir”, found dead in Norway in August, reportedly died of bacterial infection and not gunshot wounds, said Norwegian police on Friday. The probable cause of bacterial infection is the wound in the mouth, caused by a stuck stick.

The 14-foot-long and 2,700-pound whale was first spotted in 2019 with a harness reading “Equipment St. Petersburg” fueling speculations that the whale was a Russian spy. This prompted people to nickname him Hvaldimir, the spy whale. Hvaldimir is a blend of the Norwegian word for whale, “hval,” and the first name of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The white whale was found dead outside Stavanger on August 31.

Animal rights organizations NOAH and One Whale claimed the whale had been shot dead and filed a police report. Following this, the Veterinary Institute in Sandnes, on behalf of the Directorate of Fisheries, conducted an autopsy and found a 35-centimeter (14-inch) stick lodged in his mouth.

“The report concluded that the probable cause of death was a bacterial infection, possibly a result of wounds in his mouth caused by a stick that got stuck,” Amund Preede Revheim, Norway police official said.

“Pinnen (Norwegian word for peg, a wooden stick) may also have led to Hvaldimir having challenges with its nutrition, thus increasing infections,” stated the press release issued by Norway police.

“Assessment done by the Veterinary Institute and police criminal technicians found that there was no injury. X-ray of the chest and head can be conducted without the presence of a projector or other metal fragments,” it added.

The police didn’t find any trace of bullets and therefore, no further investigation was done.

“There are no investigations that indicate that Hvaldimir is living illegally. The police therefore had no reason to launch an investigation into the whale’s death, and responded to the incoming report”, said Preed Revheim.

For biosecurity reasons, remains are usually destroyed after autopsies at the Veterinary Institute. In this case, the Directorate of Fisheries has decided to donate the skeleton of the white whale Hvaldimir to the Nature Museum and Botanical Garden at UiA University in Agder.

Last year, Norway requested its citizens to avoid any contact with Hvaldimir who was seen in a fjord close to Oslo.