Norwegian police confirm that they have received a report about Hvaldimir's death, writes news agency NTB. The Southwestern police district will now take a stance on whether an investigation should be initiated.
According to the organization One Whales' chairman, there are clear signs that someone intentionally took the life of the tame whale.
"I have spent a lot of time with Hvaldimir over the past five years and know him very well. So when I saw his body and the many injuries, I could immediately see that he was killed by a gunshot," says chairman Regina Haug according to Norwegian media.
"I saw a bullet lodged in his body, so there was no doubt that this friendly animal had been senselessly killed."
The press release includes photos that are claimed to show a bullet hole in Hvaldimir.
The whale was first discovered at the end of April 2019 and gained attention because he was very social. He was also equipped with a camera rig marked "Equipment from St. Petersburg" – which led to speculation that he was trained to perform Russian spy missions.
Hvaldimir was found dead on Saturday in the water off the Norwegian coast of Stavanger. He was autopsied on Monday, but according to Norwegian TV 2, the report is expected first in three weeks.
Belugas usually grow to be 3-5 meters long and are uniformly gray-white. The head is small with a large protrusion on the forehead.
Belugas live in groups of around ten animals led by a male. During migrations and with abundant food, groups of thousands of animals can form.
Belugas live in Arctic seas without a thick, continuous ice cover. They mainly feed on fish, squid, and bottom-dwelling crustaceans.
Source: NE.se
