Beluga Whale Hvaldimir Found Dead in Norway

A beluga whale, known as Hvaldimir, has been discovered dead off the southern coast of Norway. This whale gained international attention in 2019 when it was first spotted in Norwegian waters wearing a harness marked with the words ‘Equipment St. Petersburg’.

The body of Hvaldimir was located by a father and son who were out fishing over the weekend. The non-profit organization, Marine Mind, which had been monitoring Hvaldimir, reported his death and described the whale as a ‘beacon of hope’ for the connection between humans and nature.

When Hvaldimir was initially found, the harness appeared to have a mount for a small camera. His presence sparked theories that he may have been part of a Russian research program due to the unusual equipment he was wearing. There has been no official response from Moscow concerning these allegations.

Marine biologist Sebastian Strand, who collaborated with Marine Mind, expressed his sorrow at Hvaldimir’s passing, noting that the whale had been in good health as recently as Friday. The cause of death is currently unknown, as no significant external injuries were visible on the whale’s body.