On April 26, 2019, a beluga whale appeared near Tufjord, a
village in northern Norway, immediately alarming fishermen in the
area. Belugas in that part of the world typically inhabit the
remote Arctic and are rarely spotted as far south as the
Norwegian mainland. Although they occasionally travel solo, they
tend to live and move in groups. This particular whale was
entirely alone and unusually comfortable around humans, trailing
boats and opening his mouth as though expecting to be fed.
News of the friendly white whale spread quickly. In early May, a
video of the beluga went viral, eventually earning a spot on “The
Ellen DeGeneres Show.” By midsummer, he had become an
international celebrity, drawing large groups of tourists. All
the while, marine experts had been speculating about the whale’s
origin. Clearly this animal had spent time in captivity — but
where?
In the years since the whale, publicly named Hvaldimir, first
entered the global spotlight, the very qualities that make him so
endearing — his intelligence, curiosity and charisma — have put
him in perpetual danger. Hvaldimir is now at the center of a
dispute over his welfare. Even as he swims freely through the
ocean, he is caught in a tangle of conflicting human ambitions,
some noble, others misguided, nearly all distorted by inadequate
understanding. Whether to intervene, and how to do so, remain
contentious subjects among scientists, activists and government
officials.
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