JAKARTA - The well-known beluga whale for allegedly being part of a Russian spy 'practice' emerged in Swedish waters, having previously been reported to be in the NOrwegia region.
Scientists are monitoring the whale, which is now reportedly off the coast of Lysekill, north of Goteborg, Sweden.
This several-meter-long white whale was first spotted a few years ago wearing a camera strap near Norway, sparking suspicions that the whale was being used for espionage.
Since then, the whale has been nicknamed Hvaldimir, which is a combination of the word 'hval' (path in Norwegian) and the first name commonly used by Russian Vladimir.
When it was first discovered in 2019, this whale-binding rope was equipped with a base for a small camera with the words 'Equipment St. Petersburg'.
It happened at the port near Norway's northernmost point. The biologist who found Hvaldimir managed to remove the safety rope attached to his head.
It didn't take long for this beluga whale to become a local attraction and so comfortable with people that he swam into the dock and took a plastic ring that was thrown into the sea.
Meanwhile, Moscow has never officially commented on this case.
On Sunday, May 28, Hvaldimir was seen near Hunnebostrand in western Sweden, further south than his first appearance in 2019, according to Sebastian Strand, a marine biologist from Onehale, a non-profit organization founded solely to protect Hvaldimir's health and well-being.
Hvaldimir has moved south faster than his normal pace, Strand said.
Strand noted that the whale moved away from where the Beluga whale usually lives, which is the colder waters in Greenland and the North Pole of Russia and Norway.
On Tuesday, Norwegian authorities said the whale had reportedly off the coast of Lysekill, located north of Goteborg, Sweden's second-largest city.
Last week, this white mammal was seen in the inner fjord Oslo, where the directorate appealed to the public to avoid contact with the animal to ensure its safety and well-being.
The directorate pointed out there was a risk of injury to Hvaldimir as more recreational ships than usual gathered in the fjord as people sought to get a glimpse of the US aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R Ford, which had visited the Norwegian capital.
While in Norway's waters, the beluga whale is considered a protected wild marine mammal. Authorities in Norway have "rejected all requests and plans to capture the whale," according to Olav Lekve of the Norwegian Fisheries Directorate.
It is known that the Barents Sea and the North Atlantic are strategic areas for the Western and Russian navys, which have placed submarines in the zone.
"We don't know why it's moving so fast right now," Strand said, admitting that Hvaldimir's search for a partner could be a possible reason.
"It could be a hormone that urges him to find a partner. Or lonely, because he is so social, he could be looking for someone else," he continued.
"He is a lonely whale hoping to find another white whale that can be invited to hang out," Strand said.
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Meanwhile, Carl Bildt, a former Swedish foreign minister jokingly suggested to Swedish TV4 broadcaster Hvaldimir should be granted political asylum in Sweden, saying "there is a possibility he is a refugee protesting the war carried out by (Russian President Vladimir) Putin" in Ukraine.
According to Strand, Hvaldimir has been in good health in recent years, eating fish interested in large salmon farms in Norway.
However, OneWhale is concerned about his ability to catch food, saying they have identified signs of Hvaldimir's weight loss.
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