Hvaldimir, also known as “Hvaldi”, became world famous after he appeared off the coast of Finnmark in 2019. There was also speculation as to whether he was a Russian spy whale. Since then, he has slowly but surely moved south. Recently, the celebrity whale has, among other things, stayed at a breeding facility in Averøy municipality. – We started early in the morning, so it was dark around us. Suddenly I see a white figure in front of the boat, and it was Hvaldimir then. It was almost like I thought I was dreaming. So says Knut Bævre, operations technician at Mowi Leite, who describes the meeting as an experience of a lifetime. Hvaldimir seems to be enjoying himself at the breeding facility at Leite in Averøy. PHOTO: THOMAS STORMO Was afraid of harming him Earlier this year it emerged that the organization OneWhale wanted Hvaldimir to have his own fjord in Finnmark. The main reason is because the beluga has been staying near breeding facilities along the coast, which they fear could lead to dangerous situations with people and that Hvaldimir is making holes in the salmon cages. But Bævre was not worried about destruction. – He did not come across the cages. There was zero concern on our part. We were most worried that we would run into him with the propeller on the boat, says Bævre. Hvaldimir followed their boat all the time, even when they drove from pen to pen. This led to the workers pulling themselves over with ropes instead of using the engine power, in order to avoid the celebrity whale being injured. Photo: Thomas Stormo – Can lead to stress Cetacean researcher at UiT Norway’s Arctic University, Audun Rikardsen, is concerned that Hvaldimir will move even further south. – It is not lucky for him to go further south. It would have been better if he had stayed somewhere now, or gone north again. Precisely because it can quickly become too crowded for him. According to whale researcher Audun Rikardsen, the beluga whale has a fondness for breeding facilities, probably because it finds food and fish more easily around these facilities. Photo: ODD ARNE OLDERBAKK / news The researcher has followed Hvaldimir from the start, and would have preferred him to stay further north, to avoid densely populated areas. Among other things, due to high boat traffic, which can make him more susceptible to injuries. – He moves further and further away from his living area, and at the same time there are more and more people. Rikardsen says that Hvaldimir stays longer somewhere if he gets entertainment. – This is a special whale. He probably believes more that he is a human than a whale. – So if he comes to densely populated areas, he may stay there. And that can lead to stress, he adds. Hvaldimir has previously been cut by propellers, says Rikardsen, but adds that it seems he has learned to stay away from them now. Photo: Inge Wegge / One Whale – Be careful The whale researcher makes a call to people. – It is important that you behave calmly around him. There shouldn’t be too many people around him either. It is a wonderful experience to see him, but one should be careful. He says that if you want to pat the beluga, you have to pat his head. – Avoid the blow hole and the mouth, because he can get bacteria and get sick. Rikardsen also advises people not to go into the water with him. It is not recommended if you do not have extensive experience with this from the past, says the researcher.
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The white whale Hvaldimir has swum to Møre og Romsdal – researcher fears he will go further south – news Møre og Romsdal – Local news, TV and radio
