Vladimir Putin is under fire following the death of the “famous” Beluga whale Hvaldimir, who was once suspected of being trained by the Kremlin for espionage.
A father and son discovered Hvaldimir’s lifeless body floating in Risavika Bay in southern Norway on September 1. Animal rights groups now claim the whale was fatally shot – and social media users have pointed fingers at the whales. the Russian despot, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
In the wake of Hvaldimir’s death, the hashtag “Justice for Hvaldimir” began to trend online.
The whale’s death initially raised eyebrows as Hvaldimir was healthy and only 15 years old, which is relatively young for belugas, which can live for 60 years.
Marine biologist and Marine Mind director Sebastian Strand said: “Unfortunately, we found Hvaldimir floating in the sea. He has died, but it is not immediately clear what the cause of death is.”
For the past three years, Strand has been monitoring Hvaldimir’s movements on behalf of the Norway-based nonprofit Marine Mind.
Despite One Whale’s claims, Marine Mind said there was “nothing that would immediately reveal the cause of death”.
Beach added: “We have seen markings, but it is too early to say what the cause of death was.”
Hvaldimir’s body was transported to the Norwegian Veterinary Institute for an autopsy. The results are expected in about three weeks.
Police said they are investigating the incident “to determine whether there are reasonable motives to initiate an investigation.”