Hvaldimir, the beluga whale suspected of being a Russian spy, was found dead off Norway's coast.
Hvaldimir's body was discovered floating near the town of Risavika, raising questions about his death. –
In 2019, Hvaldimir appeared in Norway with a GoPro harness labeled "Equipment of St Petersburg."
The beluga's close approach to humans led to speculation that he was trained by the Russian military.
Locals named him Hvaldimir, a play on the word "whale" and President Vladimir Putin's name.
Marine Mind, a group tracking Hvaldimir, found no visible injuries on his body, leaving the cause of death unknown.
Hvaldimir's body has been prepared for a necropsy to determine the cause of his unexpected death.
At around 15 years old, Hvaldimir was relatively young; belugas can live up to 60 years. –
Beluga whales rarely venture this far south; Hvaldimir's presence in Norwegian waters was unusual.
Russia has a history of training marine animals like dolphins for military purposes, but denies spy whale programs.