Mon Sep 09 14:58:05 UTC 2024: ## Beluga Whale “Hvaldimir” Death: No Evidence of Shooting, Norwegian Police Say
**Stavanger, Norway:** Despite claims by animal rights groups, Norwegian police have ruled out the possibility that the well-known beluga whale, Hvaldimir, was shot to death last month. A preliminary autopsy conducted by the Norwegian Veterinary Institute found no evidence of gunshot wounds.
Hvaldimir, who gained international attention for his harness labelled “Equipment St. Petersburg,” was found dead in Risavika Bay on August 31. Animal advocacy groups OneWhale and NOAH, citing the presence of wounds on the carcass, initially suspected the animal had been intentionally killed.
However, police say the autopsy revealed only superficial wounds, with one deeper wound that was not fatal or affecting vital organs. X-rays confirmed the absence of any projectiles.
While an investigation revealed a stick lodged in the whale’s mouth, an empty stomach, and organ breakdown, the police have not attributed these findings to human activity as the cause of death.
“There is nothing in the investigations that have been carried out to establish that it is human activity that has directly led to Hvaldimir’s death,” said Preede Revheim, head of the North Sea and environment section of the police in South Western Norway.
Despite the preliminary findings, OneWhale and NOAH remain unsatisfied and have offered a reward for information that could reopen the investigation. A final autopsy report is expected later this month.
Hvaldimir, a 14-foot-long beluga whale, had been spotted in Norwegian waters since 2019. His harness, along with a camera mount, fueled speculation that he was a Russian spy whale, a theory that gained traction given the Russian military’s history of using sea mammals for military purposes.
The whale’s death has sparked widespread sadness and anger, especially given its friendly interactions with humans. Police are no longer actively investigating the case, but the final autopsy report may shed further light on the circumstances surrounding the animal’s death.
First Piper 