The shocking story of the Russian “spy whale”: why is the Norwegian government asking to stay away from it?

“Hvaldimir” is the name given to a white whale, or beluga, that is already four years old under the gaze of experts and fisheries officials.

Its fame is not for its characteristic white color or for crossing seas. In 2019, they noticed him wearing “a special harness with mounts for a camera.” That led to the idea that “she could have been trained by the Russian army.”

For four years now, “Hvaldimir” has been known as the spy whale, thanks to that story shared by CNN in Spanish.

At the time of its detection, Jorgen Ree Wiig, a marine biologist with the Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries, told CNN that “the harness appeared to be specially made and had GoPro camera mounts on each side.”

Also “the harness clips read Equipment St. Petersburg.”

A white whale shark was sighted in the Galapagos

What about the spy whale?

This beluga is found in Norwegian waters. She was released from the controversial harness, the media clarified.

“Follow the boats and play with those on board,” the Norwegian Fisheries Directorate described.

The beluga is one of the smallest whale species. Their distinctive color -white- and prominent forehead make them easy to recognize.

National Geographic

“It tends to stay in hatcheries where it has been able to catch fish and eat to excess,” the US news network stated on Thursday, May 25, 2023.

In the middle of this week, however, the Norwegian government issued a warning. The recommendations aim to maintain the good health of cetaceans.

“The whale is tame and used to being around people,” said fisheries director Frank Bakke-Jensen.

This same official was the one who asked citizens to “avoid contact” with “Hvaldimir”.

We encourage boaters to keep enough distance to prevent the whale from being injured or, in the worst case scenario, killed by boat traffic.

Frank Bakke-Jensen, Head of Fisheries

“Hvaldimir,” from the monitoring they do, is known to live in the fjord (gulf) of Norway, CNN reports in Spanish.

“Don’t Hurt Him”

Messages of solidarity towards the beluga leave users of networks. They beg him not to harm.

Meybi Castellanos stated that “they (whales) are attracted to humans because they are very curious. So before any activity on the coast, or when they see a boat or ship, they risk being injured by the boats.”

“Let her live,” Alix Rijo asked. While Arnold Fernández noted, “Remember that these living creatures are harmless. DON’T HUR HIM.”