2 months ago
17
NEW DELHI: Famous beluga
whale
Havaldimir was
found dead
near Risavika in southwestern
Norway
on Saturday. He captured public interest in 2019 after he was spotted wearing a harness seemingly designed for a camera.
According to the founder of a nonprofit called Marine Mind Sebastian Strand, dead whale was found floating near Risavika in southwestern Norway on Saturday afternoon.
The exact cause of death remains unknown at this time, although there were visible markings on the whale's body that could have been inflicted by birds or other marine animals, New York Times reported.
"It's heartbreaking," Strand said. "He's touched thousands of people's hearts just here in Norway."
Strand added that he was working to send
Hvaldimir
to a facility where the carcass can be preserved long enough to determine the cause of death.
Hvaldimir was first seen in northern Norway in 2019 wearing a harness labeled 'equipment' from St Petersburg, sparking speculation about his origins and purpose. Despite theories about a Russian reconnaissance mission, Russia never claimed ownership of the whale.
According to New York Times report, by some estimates, the whale was close to 14 feet long and about 2,700 pounds.
The whale showed signs of domestication, and was comfortable around people. He remained in busier waters than are typical for belugas, prompting concerns from scientists, activists and experts.
"He was completely acclimatized to human culture," Strand said, adding that it appeared Hvaldimir had "been in captivity for a lot of his life."
In the previous year, Hvaldimir was observed off the coast of Sweden, having traveled southward, which took him further away from food sources and towards more industrial and hazardous harbors.
Strand and his team worked to educate curious residents and tourists about the whale to ensure its protection as much as possible while it remained outside its usual habitat.
Strand said that he had been promoting safety measures for Hvaldimir, who had so far enjoyed a calm year, and had seemed to be in good health Friday, based on reports.
"I'm not sure what's happened," Strand said. "But we'll find out."
