HOT WAR, COLD HEART: A beloved whale accused of being a ‘Russian spy’ was shot dead
A beloved white beluga whale nicknamed Hvaldimir was shot dead in Norwegian waters. He was believed to have been trained to spy for Russia. Regina Haug, founder of animal rights group OneWhale, which had been involved in the protection of Hvaldimir, stated: 'There is no question that this kind, gentle animal was senselessly murdered'. Hvaldimir, believed to have been about 15 years old, gained celebrity status in Norway, with viral videos showing the whale returning lost items to their owners and playing with a rugby ball. Beluga whales can live up to 60 years in the wild.
JOSHUA NELKEN-ZITSER: A white beluga whale nicknamed Hvaldimir, beloved in Norway and believed to have been trained to spy for Russia, was found dead in Norwegian waters over the weekend. A group of veterinarians now say the whale was shot to death… The death of Hvaldimir comes amid growing tensions between Russia and Norway…
On Wednesday, two animal-rights organizations, OneWhale and NOAH, announced that they have filed a police report with local authorities and Norway’s national authority on environmental crimes. In the report, they raised the possibility of “intentional human-inflicted injury,” their statement said.
“When I saw his body and the multiple injuries, I immediately knew he had been killed by gunshots,” Regina Haug, founder of OneWhale, which had been involved in the protection of Hvaldimir, said in the statement. “I even saw a bullet lodged in his body,” she continued. “There is no question that this kind, gentle animal was senselessly murdered.”
The animal-rights groups provided Business Insider with images of the whale’s body, which appeared to show bullet holes. The lifeless body of Hvaldimir was discovered by a teenage fisherman and his father near the town of Risavika on Saturday morning.
“The injuries on the whale are alarming and of a nature that cannot rule out a criminal act — it is shocking,” Siri Martinsen, a veterinarian and the leader of animal-rights group NOAH, said in the statement. She added: “Given the suspicion of a criminal act, it is crucial that the police are involved quickly. Hvaldimir was significant to many, and all facts must be brought to light regarding his death.”
In a conversation with Business Insider, Martinsen said it’s not clear who may have shot Hvaldimir. “No, we have no information about that, and that is why we are filing a report this early in the process,” she said. Martinsen said that before the whale’s death, her organization had assessed the risk level of Russia attempting to kill or capture the whale as “extremely low’…
Hvaldimir gained celebrity status in Norway, with viral videos showing the whale returning lost items to their owners and playing with a rugby ball…Hvaldimir was believed to be about 15 years old, and beluga whales can live up to 60 years in the wild. SOURCE…
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