"Journey of Hvaldimir: The Tame Beluga's Escape from Russian Waters Revealed"

Five years after Hvaldimir, the beluga whale, captured international attention for its harness and suspected military ties, a marine expert confirms it fled the Russian military but asserts it was merely trained for guard duty, not espionage.

 

The mystery surrounding the beluga whale that approached Norwegian fishermen in 2019 while wearing a harness may finally have an explanation. The gentle white whale, affectionately named Hvaldimir by locals, had previously sparked widespread speculation about its ties to Russian military activities. Recent insights from marine scientist Dr. Olga Shpak, who has spent years researching marine mammals, indicate that the beluga indeed escaped from a Russian military training program but was not intended for spying operations.

Dr. Shpak, originally from Ukraine, shared her insights during the BBC's documentary "Secrets of the Spy Whale," which highlights the unique circumstances surrounding Hvaldimir’s journey. According to her research and discussions with former colleagues, she believes the whale was trained to help guard a naval base in the Arctic Circle and ultimately swam away in defiance, displaying characteristics akin to a "hooligan."

The whale, which first garnered attention for its curious nature, was indeed found with a harness equipped with a mount for a camera and marked with the words “Equipment St Petersburg.” Fisherman Joar Hesten recalled an encounter where the whale seemed to seek help, engaging with boats and even returning a mobile phone to a fisherman. Unable to catch fish normally, Hvaldimir became a star attraction along the Norwegian coast.

Dr. Shpak noted that various individuals in the Russian marine mammal community quickly identified Hvaldimir as one of theirs, previously known as Andruha. Initially captured in the Sea of Okhotsk in 2013 and later transferred to a military training program, the whale was reportedly intelligent and active, which contributed to its eventual escape from captivity.

Despite the theory that Russia may have trained marine mammals for defense, officials in the country have remained tight-lipped about Hvaldimir’s origins. The documentary presents evidence of whale pens near Russian naval bases, possibly indicating training operations for security purposes. Meanwhile, speculation about the beluga being a "spy" has persisted, but Russian officials have directly dismissed such claims, with one colonel quipping about the implausibility of a spy attaching its own mobile number.

Hvaldimir’s odyssey continued for several years along the Norwegian coast, culminating with a sighting off Sweden in May 2023. However, the beluga’s journey tragically ended when it was found deceased on September 1, 2024, near Risavika, Norway. Although some activists suggested malice in its death, Norwegian authorities determined it succumbed due to an accidental injury from a stick lodged in its mouth. Thus, the beluga’s intriguing tale of alleged espionage and survival culminated in a heartbreaking but natural conclusion.