Hvaldimir, the “Russian spy”, a beluga whale, may have been shot

Who shot Hvaldimir?

The sudden death of a beloved whale and alleged Russian spy took an unexpected turn and on Wednesday turned into a possible crime mystery when two environmental groups filed a police report and said the white beluga was killed by gunfire.

However, autopsies are ongoing and officials told NBC News that a final evaluation could take up to three weeks.

A whale that has been regularly seen off the coast of Norway and stealing hearts and minds was found dead last weekend in the port of Stavanger, a city in the country’s southwest.

Hvaldimir was known for his extremely sociable and interactive demeanor, as well as for wearing a harness with the words “St. Petersburg Equipment” written on it and what appeared to be a holder for a small camera.

This has prompted speculation that he had escaped from a Russian military facility where he was being trained as a “spy whale” – hence his nickname, a combination of the Norwegian word for whale, “hval”, and the name of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Now his death is also shrouded in mystery.

The cause of Hvaldimir’s death is not clear and a decision was made to carry out an autopsy, the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries said in a statement on Monday.

Then on Wednesday, two animal rights organizations, OneWhale and NOAH, reported that there was “compelling evidence to suggest that Hvaldimir’s death was caused by intentional bodily harm by humans.”

While necropsy results are not yet available, research groups said initial findings indicate the whale died from “gunshot wounds.”

“Several veterinarians, biologists and ballistics experts reviewed photographic evidence, including close-ups of Hvaldimir’s injuries,” their statement read. “Their assessments strongly suggest that the whale’s death was the result of a criminal act, necessitating immediate police involvement.”

Groups shared photos showing traces of blood and holes in the dead body whale, which the Associated Press reported was 14 feet long and weighed 2,700 pounds. NBC News could not independently verify the nature of the visible injuries.

Regina Haug, founder of OneWhale, told NBC News that Hvaldimir is likely about 15 years old. So he is relatively young considering that beluga whales can live for 60 to 70 years in the wild.

“The whale I knew and loved was a strong, capable and energetic animal, yet so gentle, with a sweet and cheeky personality,” Haug said after seeing the whale’s body. “It was heartbreaking to see this beautiful animal now dead. I felt like my heart had dropped into my stomach. The pain of losing him in a senseless killing is anguish that cannot be repaired at this time.”

As reported by OneWhale and NOAH, a report was filed with the local police and the Norwegian Authority for Investigation and Prosecution of Economic and Environmental Crime.

Sør-West Police issued a statement Wednesday confirming that they had received the report from the groups and would evaluate it to see if an investigation was warranted. They had no further comment on the matter.

The Norwegian Veterinary Institute said in an emailed statement to NBC News on Wednesday that Hvaldimir’s autopsy was still ongoing and that it would not be able to comment on the results until it had enough information to draw a conclusion.

“We and the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries have been in contact with the police before the autopsy and will of course involve them if we discover anything that indicates suspicious circumstances,” the statement reads. “The Norwegian Veterinary Institute has extensive experience in handling legal cases.”

OneWhale and NOAH said they hope that potential witnesses or anyone with information about the whale’s death will come forward.

Hvaldimir’s death occurred during a campaign to move him to safer waters in northern Norway where he could join other beluga whales, the statement added.

This put them at odds with a third nonprofit, Marine Mind, which had raised concerns about the relocation. It was Marine Mind that announced that it had found Hvaldimir’s lifeless body floating in the harbor on Saturday.

CEO Sebastian Strand told NBC News on Wednesday that some of Hvaldimir’s injuries may have been caused by seabirds, but he would refrain from speculating on a possible cause of death until the results of an autopsy are known.

“The only way to know for sure what the injuries were will be an official statement from the veterinary institute that performed the autopsy,” Strand said.