Information
A beluga whale named Hvaldimir, once suspected of being trained by Russia for spying purposes, was found dead in southern Norway, as reported by the non-profit organization Marine Mind. The whale, which was discovered floating by a father and son fishing, showed no visible external injuries, and the cause of death remains unclear. Hvaldimir was estimated to be 14 or 15 years old, relatively young for a beluga whale, which can live up to 60 years.
Hvaldimir first gained attention in 2019 when he was spotted wearing a camera harness stamped with “Equipment St. Petersburg” off the coast of northern Norway, near Russian waters. Norwegian intelligence believed the whale was trained and accustomed to human interaction. Named Hvaldimir, a combination of the Norwegian word for whale and the name of Russian President Vladimir Putin, he was seen as a “beacon of hope” and a symbol of the bond between humans and nature, according to Marine Mind. The organization suggested Hvaldimir may have been held in captivity in Russia, and local media speculated he could have served as a therapy animal, though Russia has never addressed these claims.
Source: AFP, Reuters
So what
This has always been a cool tale, and while it is unclear if the wale was ever used for espionage, it does highlight some of the creative tactics intelligence services have used over the years to gather information. Other examples have been Pigeons fitted with cameras, cats with listening devices and so on. Though it is unlikely that Russia will ever confirm they used Hvaldimir for spying, history shows that it is definitely possible.
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