'Russian spy' beluga whale, nicknamed Hvaldimir, spotted off the coast of Sweden

Hvaldimir is known to follow boats and play with those on board. Credit: Jorgen Ree Wiig/Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries/Sea Surveillance Service

A beluga whale has reappeared off the coast of Sweden four years after it turned up in Norway wearing a harness, leading experts to believe he may have been a spy trained by the Russian navy.

People have been told to "avoid contact" with the famous whale, nicknamed Hvaldimir, who was spotted in Hunnebostrand off Sweden's south-western coast on Sunday.

Since 2019, he has "been traveling along the Norwegian coast" with a few stops along the way, according to the Norwegian Directoriate of Fisheries, which added that Hvaldimir "tends to stay at farms where (he) has been able to catch fish, grazing on surplus feed."

The harness he was spotted wearing in 2019 was a specially made one with mounts for a camera, which is what prompted speculation about him working for the Russian navy.

Hvaldimir is known to follow boats and play with those on board.

Hvaldimir is believed to be between 13 and 14 years old. Credit: Jorgen Ree Wiig/Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries

"We don't know why he has sped up so fast right now," said Sebastian Strand, a marine biologist with the OneWhale organisation.

"It could be hormones driving him to find a mate.

"Or it could be loneliness, as belugas are a very social species – it could be that he’s searching for other beluga whales."

Believed to be between 13 and 14 years old, Hvaldimir is “at an age where his hormones are very high."

There is a Hvaldimir Hotline number on OneWhale's website for questions and to report a sighting or concerns about him.

"Hvaldimir is technically a 'free' whale," the website reads.

"He hunts fish and eats on his own, is no longer dependent on humans, and has done an amazing job surviving.

"However, Hvaldimir is not safe.

"Unfortunately, he is still in serious danger due to his surroundings.

"He is lonely and has no other whales for company, so he seeks the company of humans... this poses a danger not only to Hvaldimir but also to the humans who try to swim and interact with him."

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