An Update on Hvaldimir, Norway’s “Spy” Beluga Whale

In 2019, a white beluga whale made international headlines by showing up in the Norwegian port of Hammerfest. The beluga was behaving strangely, being attracted to people and far south of the usual habitat of the white whales. Furthermore, there was a leather “harness” on him stamped from St. Petersburg, Russia. This led to speculation, strongly denied by the Russian government, that Hvaldimir (as he was named locally) was originally one of Russia’s experimental spy whales used for military purposes. Somehow, Hvaldimir swam free of the Russians and wound up in Norway.

Our thanks to OneWhale, based in Norway, for this update:

Hvaldimir, the beluga whale suspected of being a Russian spy, is facing his most dangerous mission yet: trying to survive in the wild. The white whale made headlines when he was spotted by Norwegian fishermen in April 2019, an unusual sight since belugas are found much further north in the Arctic. Even stranger was the harness he was wearing and his affection for human interaction.

A rescue operation freed the great sea mammal of the apparatus, which bore the stamp “Equipment St. Petersburg,” giving rise to the theory that he had been part of a Russian research operation. Named Hvaldimir after the Norwegian word for whale (hval) and the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, the whale quickly became a celebrity. Unfortunately, this newfound fame prompted an unregulated tourism industry to grow around him, while his presence at salmon farms is unwelcome due to the stress he causes the fish and problems for the workers. His proximity to humans has resulted in two serious injuries, most recently from a boat propeller, highlighting the daily dangers for him in the busy waterways.

OneWhale is a nonprofit organization created to find a safe home for the young whale, who has captured the hearts of millions around the world. Together, with the community of Hammerfest, they are conducting possibility studies to create the world’s first marine sanctuary in Norway. Hvaldimir needs an area that is at least two kilometers long and one kilometer wide to have enough space to live his best whale life. This must be a place where people can see Hvaldimir on his terms, and not on human terms as it is now.

Regina Crosby, the founder of OneWhale, explains, "At this point, nearly everyone can see why Hvaldimir needs protection, so the question is now, where and how can we help him? We spoke to countless people, however, the folks in Hammerfest acted swiftly and stepped up to take responsibility. This is meaningful to me because when I came to Hammerfest to film Hvaldimir for the first time, I also filmed the people in the community, who poured out love for him. And now two years later, when Hvaldimir needs them, Hammerfest is there for him. Their love is real."

Katrine Næss, the project leader for the possible study and Destination Developer at Visit Hammerfest, reflects, “I was lucky enough to meet Hvaldimir when he was staying in Hammerfest in 2019, and I remember how the city embraced him as a new citizen. The prior mayor in Hammerfest is even his godfather! Looking into the possibility to bring him back ‘home’ and provide him - and possibly other arctic marine mammals – protection is very exciting, especially for the local small-scale tourism industry.”

Supporters from across Norway and the world are working to find a safe home for Hvaldimir. OneWhale's only mission is to create a marine sanctuary (a minimum of two by one kilometer) in Norway, providing a safe habitat not only for Hvaldimir, but for other rescued beluga whales that are in need of a natural environment after a lifetime of living in aquariums and amusement parks. OneWhale has provided funding and continues outreach for donations to make the Norwegian marine sanctuary a reality.

Find out more at OneWhale’s website. https://www.onewhale.org/