There's no evidence that a well-known beluga whale that lived off Norway's coast and whose harness ignited speculation it was a Russian spy was shot to death last month as claimed by animal rights groups, Norwegian police said Monday.
The tame beluga , which was first spotted in 2019 not far from Russian waters with a harness reading "Equipment St. Petersburg," was found floating at the Risavika Bay in southern Norway on Aug. 31.
Experts examined the carcass at a nearby harbor, after lifting it with a crane.
Animal advocate groups OneWhale and NOAH last week filed a police report saying that the animal's wounds suggested it was intentionally killed. OneWhale founder Regina Haug said when she saw the carcass, she "immediately knew he had been killed by gunshots."
That's not the conclusion so far from veterinarians.
