A sad and depressing end to what had been a hopeful story since the whale first appeared in Norway in 2019. A reminder of the dangers for wild animals who get close to humans and the risk that has for them.

Source: BBC

A beluga whale suspected of being a Russian spy found dead off the Norwegian coast was shot, animal rights activists have claimed.

The body of the otherwise healthy and relatively young animal - nicknamed Hvaldimir - was found floating in a bay off the country's southwestern coast.

Animal rights groups said the whale was found with bullet wounds and had been shot in a “heinous crime”.

“We will pursue justice for Hvaldimir,” One Whale founder Regina Haug vowed in a statement on social media.

One Whale was founded to track the beluga, which rose to fame after being spotted in Norwegian waters five years ago.

The pale whale was seen with a GoPro camera attached to a harness that read "Equipment of St Petersburg" - sparking speculation that the curious mammal could be engaged in espionage.

It became known locally as Hvaldimir, a pun on the Norwegian word for whale, "hval," and Russian President Vladimir Putin's first name.