FAQs

Operation Hvaldimir

  • All evidence suggests that Hvaldimir comes from a Russian military facility. He arrived in Norway in 2019 wearing a harness labeled ‘Equipment St. Petersburg.’ He seeks out human company and responds to hand signals, which indicates that he has been trained and in captivity for a significant portion of his life.

  • No. He is alive, but at risk while surviving alone in the fjords of Norway.

  • Determining Hvaldimir's exact age has been a topic of discussion among whale experts and scientists. When he arrived in Norway in 2019, there were different opinions about how old he might be. Some experts thought Hvaldimir was around 8-9 years old when he arrived. This would mean he was likely born between 2010 and 2011. Other scientists suggested he might have been about 15 years old when he came to Norway in 2019, which would mean he was born around 2004. It is difficult to know exactly how old a beluga whale is because Belugas, like many other marine animals, can grow and develop in different ways, making it hard to pinpoint their age precisely. However both estimates give us a general idea of how old he might have been when he came to Norway.

  • Belugas in the wild can typically live to be 40 to 50 years or older, and some individuals have been known to live up to 80 years.

  • Hvaldimir is a mammal, like humans, which means he is warm-blooded, breathes air through lungs, and has hair (all whales are born with sensory hairs that for many species are shed before adulthood—toothed whales lose these hairs shortly after birth). Female beluga whales give birth to live young and produce milk to nurse them. He is a toothed whale, known as a beluga whale.

  • As of August 2023, Hvaldimir has been living on the southern west coast of Norway.

  • Hvaldimir’s teeth have been worn down in part from the natural behavior of exploring his environment and foraging for food. But they have also been worn down from unnatural behavior such as biting at the bottom of boats, chewing on ropes, and chains. He has also had injuries to his mouth and teeth from sharp or harmful objects that people have put in his mouth while trying to play with him.

  • This is one purpose, which is for animal welfare.

    The other animal welfare purpose is to relocate the whale out of the populated high-risk cities, where he has has had multiple life-threatening injures, to a more appropriate wild arctic habitat.

    Finally, there is a public safety purpose which is becoming increasingly important. Displaced out-of habitat wild animals who mix with people creates a high-risk environment, which we have seen played out over and over in Norway.  We applaud this decision by Fiskeridirektoratet, which is both a safe and responsible decision for humans, but also a humane and kind decision for the animal. 

  • OneWhale received permits for Hvaldimir’s relocation on June 28, 2024.

    On July 11th we contracted Keith Yip, the world's foremost whale transport expert for the job, and booked his tickets to travel from the US to Norway.  

    On July 26th, Keith arrived in Norway for the assessment and planning of the transport. The team traveled to Stavanger to assess and plan the airport route. Then on to Hvaldimir for observation and an in-water assessment exercise.

    On July 29 the team traveled to Kirkenes, Norway to assess the logistics of the travel route and visit the possible release sites for Hvaldimir.  The team met with local professionals who provided information on the habits and patterns of wild beluga whales.

    The team returned from Kirkenes on August 3rd.  While our hope is to relocate Hvaldimir before mid-September, we recognize that this is ambitious goal, given the fundraising hurdles and the general logistics of transporting a whale.  The planning and details that must be considered in transporting a whale, are extensive, and unlike any other animal transport process. The operation may require months to plan, and raising funds could take even longer.

    Over and above any other obstacle, our absolute highest priority is to make sure the relocation is safe, comfortable and successful for Hvaldimir. 

  • Regarding animal welfare, OneWhale has partnered on the case with NOAH, Norway’s largest animal rights organization, in order to ensure the highest standard of animal welfare. You can learn more about NOAH at dyrsrettigheter.no 

    OneWhale is also working with Norwegian marine biologists who are on site for long periods, observing the whale and collecting data. 

     In addition we are consulting with professionals who are actively involved in Hvaldimir’s case, including beluga experts, Norwegian veterinarians, and other Norwegian institutes.  

  • Our beluga and whale transport expert is Keith Yip.  Keith has worked with whales, beluga whales in particular, for over 40 years, and has transported hundreds of whales around the world.  In June, Keith rescued two belugas out of Ukraine and relocated them to Spain. You can read about that here: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/06/20/travel/kharkiv-beluga-whales-spain-scli-intl/index.html

    In late July, Keith came to Norway to assess Hvaldimir and plan the relocation for Hvaldimir.

  • There is always stress during the relocation of a wild animal, but Hvaldimir is unique in that he has been transported many times in the past. We have confirmation that Hvaldimir has been transported by truck, ship and by airplane during his former life in captivity. Airplane is the fastest way to travel, so our goal is that he gets to travel by airplane.  

    Hvaldimir was born in the wild, and was with other beluga whales even while he was in captivity. He is a young mating-aged whale who should live another 50 years. Experts involved in his case believe that the best outcome for him would be given a chance to integrate with is own kind, vs. live alone at salmon farms, which he has done for the past 5 years. Beluga experts have advised us beluga whale are highly social herd animals, and that being alone is likely a constant stress to Hvaldimir.  Our team believes that although a move might be temporarily stressful, the long-term positives far outweigh the long-term negatives.

  • Keith Yip, our transport expert, and our team conducted a training exercise in late July to plan for Hvaldimir’s move and assess his level of comfort with handling.  The exercise included a former Norwegian Navy Seal and rescue diver, along with Regina, our founder, who has training in the water with Hvaldimir.  Keith’s goal was to learn how cooperative Hvaldimir would be for moving day. The team worked with Hvaldimir in the water for about an hour and half to learn if he would follow us, allow arms around him, and if he would go into very shallow water.  These are all components of preparing for his moving day.  We are happy to report that Hvaldimir was very cooperative!

  • Approximately one month after his departure from OneWhale, a team member went out on his own and announced his intention to train Hvaldimir to boat follow thousands of miles along the coast from Southern Norway to Finnmark (Northern Norway), with the goal of speak to schools along the way.  OneWhale and NOAH were opposed to this plan, and the authorities did not approve of the plan.

  • We found that the ideas and philosophies of the foreign advisors, even if they were well-meaning,  often went against rules and laws in Norway.  This became a conflict. There were a number of reasons all parties involved decided to part ways.  Since the change in team OneWhale has made quick and great strides in moving the project forward.

  • A lot of people have have questions around the relocation of Hvaldimir based on comparisons of Keiko, an orca who was released in the sea in Iceland.  The two animals are very different, and their living situations are also very different. Keiko was an orca, and Hvaldimir is a beluga.  In terms of integration, orcas live in tight knit closed family pods, and belugas live in large populations that mix and mingle with social groups that can change regularly. Belugas have even been known adopt other species into their groups. Keiko was also an older whale that was kept in captivity his whole life, and was released from a tank into the sea. Hvaldimir is a young healthy whale who has already been free-ranging in the sea since 2019. 

How To Behave Around Hvaldimir

  • Hvaldimir hunts live fish on his own and we want him to continue this natural behavior. Although attempting to feed him seems to be a nice gesture, doing so may result in harm to Hvaldimir or the person attempting to feed him. Feeding marine mammals can lead to serious injury, illness, or death to the animal. Feeding Hvaldimir would encourage more dependency on humans and could reduce his natural feeding habits.

  • While swimming with Hvaldimir is not illegal, for your safety and for Hvaldimir’s, OneWhale strongly discourages this activity for critical safety reasons and does not condone swimming with him. Hvaldimir is a large and powerful marine mammal, and as with all animals, he can be unpredictable. He weighs approximately 1200 kg (over 2,000 pounds) , is about 4-meters in length (13 feet) and can hold his breath for up to 20 minutes. Hvaldimir can swim very quickly and inadvertently collide with a swimmer and has been known to pull at peoples’ limbs. In addition, boats with propellers often surround him, posing a high risk for both Hvaldimir and people who may be in the water with him. We strive to ensure the safety and well-being of both Hvaldimir and those who interact with him. By choosing to observe Hvaldimir from a safe and respectful distance, we can appreciate his presence while minimizing the impact on his life.

  • Certain trained members of Team Hvaldimir swim or dive with Hvaldimir for specific purposes that prioritize his health and safety. This includes diverting him away from dangerous situations, such as busy harbors or highly populated areas, leading him to better feeding conditions, removing him from salmon farms when requested, or conducting health assessments. These actions are carefully planned and executed to ensure the well-being of Hvaldimir and mitigate potential risks.

  • Touching marine mammals is not prohibited in Norway. Team Hvaldimir educates the public on the safe way to engage with Hvaldimir if he approaches them for attention. Touching Hvaldimir inappropriately or in sensitive areas (such as the eyes, mouth or blowhole) may harm him, and some diseases can be transmitted through close contact. Hvaldimir has been seeking human engagement from the public for years, which is one of the reasons Team Hvaldimir was formed to help prevent unsafe engagements. Beluga whales are highly social animals who live in family groups. Since Hvaldimir is a solitary whale, he is deprived of social contact with other beluga whales and relies on humans for companionship. In seeking attention, Hvaldimir’s interactions with salmon farms, boats, and tourists often place him at risk. Members of our team may engage with Hvaldimir to move Hvaldimir out of harm’s way or to assist at the request of a salmon farm.

  • At the advice of our veterinarians and scientific advisors, members of our team may touch Hvaldimir for specific reasons. This touch interaction is aimed at maintaining a positive relationship with him, which is essential for our team to effectively move Hvaldimir out of harm's way or relocate him when requested by a salmon farm. These actions are carried out with the utmost consideration for his safety and well-being, guided by expert advice.

Hvaldimir’s Care & Wellbeing

  • Currently OneWhale does not have a permit for a tag, but our monitoring work can be successfully conducted without the use of a tag. OneWhale is collaborating with local authorities and NOAH to create a plan for Hvaldimir's future well-being and safety. If the Norwegian government approves a plan to relocate him, permits for a tag may be requested. OneWhale would only consider the use of minimally invasive tags approved by NOAH.

  • It has always been OneWhale’s highest goal for Hvaldimir to eventually join a wild beluga population. As Hvaldimir demonstrates more independence with each passing year, we now consider that Hvaldimir could be ready for relocation to a wild population in the near future. This is a decision which only the Norwegian government can make. If this decision was made and supported by our partner organization NOAH, OneWhale would support this decision, as it would provide Hvaldimir a safer life than he is leading now, and possibly give him his only chance at living among other beluga whales.

  • First and foremost, OneWhale does not have authority to move Hvaldimir anywhere. Only the Norwegian government can make such decisions for him. Currently, the government has not indicated an interest in transporting Hvaldimir out of Norway. For several reasons, OneWhale would not support a plan to take Hvaldimir to the Sea Life Trust Beluga Whale Sanctuary. Little Grey and Little Whaite spend a large part of the year in an indoor pool, and are still dependent on being hand-fed dead fish. Hvaldimir hunts his own fish and is accustomed to living life as a free-ranging whale. We believe that relocating him to a tank would be a backward move for his rehabilitation. Although his current lifestyle may be lonely or unsafe at times, OneWhale’s primary goal is to support his rehabilitation in the fjords, so that he can be relocated to a wild beluga population in Norway.

  • Not to our knowledge. A few other whales have crossed paths with Hvaldimir, including a young minke whale and an older pilot whale, but our team has not observed any long-lasting interactions with other whales. Hvaldimir has been seen crossing paths with harbor porpoises (or Nisse) on several occasions, but they did not seem interested in each other. On another occasion, a pair of killer whales reportedly came within 150m of Hvaldimir. Despite being within hearing distance, it was reported that they did not interact with each other.

  • There are no beluga populations near mainland Norway. A wild beluga may appear on occasion however this is very rare and brief. The nearest population of belugas is near the island of Svalbard, which is over one thousand miles (1,645 km) away, across the open ocean. While he cannot be lured this distance, our goal is that Hvaldimir can one day be relocated to a wild beluga population.

  • Hvaldimir’s case is incredibly unique and special. While there is just one other documented case of a trained military whale getting lost or abandoned, there are a few similar cases of “friendly” (solitary, sociable) wild beluga whales. Unfortunately, in almost every case, those whale’s lives ended tragically. For example, see these two recent incidents involving the deaths of solitary and sociable wild whales who died as a result of humans or human activities. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/bluey-beluga-update-1.6258510 and https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14392271 This is a real possibility for Hvaldimir and an outcome that we are working to prevent.

Dangers To Hvaldimir

  • Hvaldimir often follows boats into the busy harbors and lives near heavily populated areas. Regardless of efforts to reduce tourism around him, people actively seek out this extraordinary animal and often share their encounters on social media. Unfortunately, people often use hashtags and mark locations, giving a road map for others to find the whale. Because stopping tourism is not a realistic option, the best we can do is try to manage it. Team Hvaldimir was not intended to be a permanent solution for Hvaldimir in Norway. Hvaldimir may live another 40+ years and belongs in an appropriate environment with other beluga whales.

  • Currently, tourism around Hvaldimir operates without regulation. During the spring and summer months, he attracts up to 300 tourists per day, some of whom seek to interact, swim, or dive with him, which can cause visible stress to the whale. Tourists sometimes offer him objects that can be harmful, and in some cases, insert items into his mouth. These interactions have led to potentially life-threatening injuries to Hvaldimir's teeth and mouth. Additionally, Hvaldimir has encountered boat propellers and sharp objects multiple times, further exacerbating the risks he faces due to tourism.

  • Like Freya, the walrus who was shot by Norwegian authorities, Hvaldimir is a displaced marine mammal who frequents areas where humans are present, resulting in potential conflict. Unfortunately, Norway’s policy is to euthanize animals who pose a risk or interfere with human activities, even when the animal is a protected “red listed” animal, like both Freya and Hvaldimir. Preventing this fate for Hvaldimir is part of the important work of Team Hvaldimir, which actively works to reduce conflicts between Hvaldimir, humans and businesses.

  • OneWhale contacted the Fiskeridirektoratet offering to help Freya by creating a team of volunteers around her just like we do for Hvaldimir. We also offered the services of marine mammal scientists and veterinarians to relocate Freya to a proper habitat for walruses, and to cover the expense of her relocation. Authorities declined our offer, and just days later she was shot and killed. This is one more reason why we continue our efforts for Hvaldimir.

  • If left alone, his future is statistically grim. Other solitary cetaceans, including beluga whales who seek out human interaction in heavily populated areas, almost always end in tragedy. Solitary belugas have drowned in fishing or mooring lines or have been mortally wounded by boat strikes and other injuries. Unless action is taken to relocate him, past data and similar experiences show that his life is in jeopardy.

  • Since Hvaldimir is not a truly wild whale, he sometimes behaves like a lost or abandoned domesticated animal. Instead of avoiding people, he seeks them out, as beluga whales are very social animals who do not normally live alone. Risks to Havldimir include:

    a. Propellers. During the three years we have documented Hvaldimir’s travels, he has been hit by boat propellers multiple times. Even after suffering serious injuries, his behavior has not changed, and he still comes within centimeters of active boat propellers. He appears to have been trained to actually go toward propellers and place objects in or around them. This puts him at a very high risk for more propeller injuries.

    b. Human-Caused Injuries to Hvaldimir: Hvaldimir engages in play behavior, including "tug-of-war" and “fetch.” These are some of the ways he entertains himself with humans since he does not have other whales to socialize with. Often, tourists will use objects to play with him that are not safe (i.e. wood planks, GoPro cameras, dive equipment). Because of this, Hvaldimir’s mouth was injured and developed a severe infection in the roof of his mouth. As a result, he was lethargic, lost weight, and was unwell. The veterinarians we consulted with, including those in Norway, concluded that this type of infection so close to the brain can lead to death for any animal. Fortunately, Hvaldimir recovered from the infection. Here is a video we made with clips of how his injuries occurred: https://youtu.be/7lzMj0jI1WI

    c. Injuries to humans: Because Hvaldimir was raised in human captivity, he apparently does not understand that to reduce stress he could swim away from large crowds of people and boats, which include tourists and children trying to get into the water with him. When surrounded by people clamoring for his attention, Hvaldimir can get stressed and act erratically, posing a risk to humans. Unless someone is highly educated in whale behavior, most people cannot predict or understand a whale’s behavior. Although we have never witnessed Hvaldimir acting aggressively, an untrained person might jump to their own conclusions. While Hvaldimir may be cute and friendly, he is also a one-ton breeding age male who can hold his breath for 20 minutes underwater. Even when he is playing, he could unintentionally cause a serious injury to a human in the water. If this happened, there is every reason to believe he would be blamed and put to death. Even without any incident, Norwegian authorities killed the walrus Freya because they thought she could be a risk to the public.

    d. Kill permits: Euthanasia (a kill permit) has long posed a threat to Hvaldimir. Neither Norway or Sweden have existing laws which allow for a rescue in the event of an emergency with Hvaldimir. The only existing solution in either country is euthanasia. Also, animals which pose a disruption of salmon farming and other human business operations are at risk of euthanization in Norway. However, over time, OneWhale has created a working relationship and positive open dialogue with the authorities in Norway. With that continued dialogue, we are increasingly confident that the Norwegian authorities would not allow any lethal action against Hvaldimir.

Solutions For Hvaldimir

  • When he arrived in spring of 2019, Hvaldimir received full-time care by the Norwegian Orca Survey. After approximately four months, Hvaldimir unexpectedly left Hammerfest (in early August of 2019). After that time, OneWhale founding members documented Hvaldimir’s motions closely, each time finding that he was entirely on his own and in public places. Later, after seeing him unprotected and surrounded by hundreds of tourists, OneWhale saw the need for safety around the whale, and formed Team Hvaldimir. Currently, OneWhale.org, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, consists of a volunteer Board of Directors who are working with authorities in Norway, along with the animal welfare organization NOAH. Together these organizations are working every day to keep Hvaldimir safe and provide a solution for him.

  • Team Hvaldimir not only protects Hvaldimir, but also works to protect the public and salmon farms by:

    1. Providing education to the public. Team Hvaldimir is a public safety team on site wherever Hvaldimir lives or travels to educate visitors about the dangers posed to Hvaldimir by boats and propellers, putting things in his mouth, or getting into the water.

    b. Being a full-time reliable resource to the salmon farms: Hvaldimir sometimes disrupts salmon farm operations by preventing divers from doing their work, causing damage to equipment, stressing the salmon, and attracting unwanted tourism. Team Hvaldimir is on site to assist and reduce these problems. We contact the farms when he arrives, and if he stays for an extended period (sometimes up to 6 months at one farm), we form a relationship with the farm workers and alongside them we work to make sure that Hvaldimir is off-site on the days they need to perform work without the whale present. We also assist the farms by fixing issues caused by Hvaldimir, such as ropes wrapped around their propellers. These important relationships have been important to help the farms build a better understanding and tolerance for Hvaldimir.

    c. Veterinary care: OneWhale raised approximately 300,000 kroner [approximately $30,000 USD] to establish a proper veterinary care program for Hvaldimir. His health problems have not been “natural” but instead are a product of his interactions with humans. Because Norway does not have veterinarians who specialize in whale medicine, we brought in a team of animal care specialists to Norway in March 2022 to provide Hvaldimir with his first official veterinary examination, provide him with a team of knowledgeable caregivers for ongoing consultation, and begin training a Norwegian vet who will be his consulting vet in the country.

    d. Feeding Protocol: In 2023 Hvaldimir swam long distances into waters known to be lacking of fish, which led to a significant weight loss. In response to this, OneWhale submitted an emergency feeding protocol with the authorities of Norway. Hvaldimir has since gained back sufficient weight and returned to waters where food is plentiful. To be prepared for Hvaldimir’s future needs, OneWhale will keep a standing protocol in place in the event of an emergency.

  • Yes, OneWhale has investigated the possibility and feasibility of a boat-follow for Hvaldimir especially throughout 2023. Through this and our learnings over the last 4 years, it is our conclusion is that it would be high risk and not be good animal welfare for him to be relocated this way for the following reasons:

    a. Hvaldimir has been trained to follow boats and OneWhale has used a boat-follow technique to get him out of dangerous situations and high-traffic areas multiple times. We learned that the maximum boat-follow time that is reasonable for his health and safety is about 2-3 hours.

    c. In 2021, we were contacted about a boat-follow where training signals were used with Hvaldimir, asking him to follow for about 7 hours. This resulted in Hvaldimir being extremely exhausted, and halting in the middle of one of the busiest ports in Norway. We found Hvaldimir resting under a commercial vessel, under a bridge and next to a busy highway. He stayed there for days recovering, while crowds of people gathered to see him.

    The situation showed clearly how unpredictable and unsafe forcing him to boat-follow can be. With the long history of information that we’ve gained, OneWhale has determined that boat-follow should only be used to remove him in an emergency, and the follow shouldn’t last more than about 2-3 hours

    d. Boat-following is a trained behavior. Wild beluga whales do not naturally follow boats for hours on end. It takes reinforcement of this training, and sustained interaction to get Hvaldimir to follow a boat. While Team Hvaldimir has first-hand experience in this and must use it in emergencies, our team is forbidden from using training signals with Hvaldimir for any reason other than an emergency or requests from the authorities. Experts have advised that using training behaviors for prolonged periods of time reinforces his non-wild habits and his human-seeking behavior. OneWhale has been committed to avoiding hand signals and training activities from the beginning, and we continue to uphold this.

    e. The only resident belugas in Norway are around the islands of Svalbard, which is over 2000 km away across open ocean. Due to the great distance, unsafe waters, high risks, and unpredictable outcome, OneWhale, NOAH and the Norwegian authorities do not support a plan for Hvaldimir to boat- follow to Svalbard, or any long distances, for any reason.

  • There are resident belugas in the Svalbard islands and transient belugas in the arctic county of Finnmark. In spring of 2024 Norway’s Director of environment denied our application for Hvaldimir to be relocated to Svalbard, due to the strict laws protecting the island habitat from potential introduction of disease. However Finnmark is part of Mainland Norway and was deemed a suitable place for relocation.

  • Based on years of consistent observation and study, OneWhale has recently proposed that the best viable, responsible, long-term solution for Hvaldimir is to be relocated to Arctic Norway. We are working with veterinarians, whale experts and the Norwegian authorities on a proposal to transport him safely by plane or ship, in a very short time window. During his time in the military, Hvaldimir was trained for this type of transportation, which adds to his safety and comfort level. This solution is jointly supported by NOAH, Norway’s largest animal rights organization.

Our Conservation Vision

  • We are hopeful Norway’s appreciation for Hvaldimir can create awareness and understanding about whales and their importance to the health of the planet. In addition, OneWhale’s goal is that the Norwegian Whale Reserve will become one of the leading conservation projects in the world, and may eventually support a shift in how Norway values these important assets in the sea. OneWhale works to promote whales as a vital part of the ocean, and highlight their significant impact on the climate and the environment. To learn more, watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDkSQrnp7gQ

About Hvaldimir

  • All evidence suggests that Hvaldimir comes from a Russian

    military facility. He arrived in Norway in 2019 wearing a harness labeled ‘Equipment St.

    Petersburg.’ He seeks out human company and responds to hand signals, which indicates that he

    has been trained and in captivity for a significant portion of his life.

  • No. He is alive, but at risk while surviving alone in the fjords of Norway.

  • Determining Hvaldimir's exact age has been a topic of discussion among

    whale experts and scientists. When he arrived in Norway in 2019, there were different opinions

    about how old he might be. Some experts thought Hvaldimir was around 8-9 years old when he

    arrived. This would mean he was likely born between 2010 and 2011. Other scientists suggested

    he might have been about 15 years old when he came to Norway in 2019, which would mean he

    was born around 2004. It is difficult to know exactly how old a beluga whale is because Belugas,

    like many other marine animals, can grow and develop in different ways, making it hard to

    pinpoint their age precisely. However both estimates give us a general idea of how old he might

    have been when he came to Norway.

  • Belugas in the wild can typically live to be 40 to 50 years or older,

    and some individuals have been known to live up to 80 years.cription

  • Hvaldimir is a mammal, like humans, which means he is warm-blooded, breathes air through lungs, and has hair (all whales are born with sensory hairs that for many species are shed before adulthood—toothed whales lose these hairs shortly after birth). Female beluga whales give birth to live young and produce milk to nurse them. He is a toothed whale, known as a beluga whale.

  • As of August 2023, Hvaldimir has been living on the southern west coast of Norway.

  • Hvaldimir’s teeth have been worn down in part from the natural behavior of exploring his environment and foraging for food. But they have also been worn down from unnatural behavior such as biting at the bottom of boats, chewing on ropes, and chains. He has also had injuries to his mouth and teeth from sharp or harmful objects that people have put in his mouth while trying to play with him.