Tuesday, May 28, 2019

"Satellite Images Reveal Russian Navy's Secret Arctic Marine Mammal Facility"

I think Norway is planning to deport back to Russia the harness-wearing Beluga mentioned in this story and which we noted in April's WTH: "Whale with harness could be Russian weapon, say Norwegian experts".

Here's the headliner from The Barents Observer:
These pens near the naval town of Polyarny on the Kola Peninsula might very well be the home from where runaway ‘Whaledimir’ beluga escaped from. Or was he brought to Norwegian waters on purpose? 
https://thebarentsobserver.com/sites/default/files/styles/full_width/public/beluga-pens-polyarny_0.jpg?itok=AAauRKOZ
 Six beluga whales in pens are visible on this satellite image from Garyachie Ruchy in the Kola Bay, some 3,5 km 
south of the closed naval town of Polyarny on the Kola Peninsula. Image: Google Earth 3D / The Barents Observer
The beluga whale wearing a harness with mounts for a GoPro camera that first was spotted by local fishermen on Norway’s Barents Sea coast in late April is still swimming around in the harbor of Hammerfest.

Making big headlines in Norway and around the globe, the locals name him ‘Whaledimir’ (Hvaldimir in Norwegian) after national broadcaster NRK made a poll asking their audience to name the animal. Today the beluga is stripped free from the harness, but is refusing to leave his new life of freedom in Norway. Experts say the whale will likely not survive without being fed by humans....
...MUCH MORE

Hvaldimir? What kind of name is Hvaldimir?
Whaley McWhaleface should have been a lock.

There is some question whether this Beluga returning a woman's dropped phone is Hvaldimar or just some rando phone retrieving cetacean:

https://i.iheart.com/v3/re/new_assets/5cd4305a6599f2143134a7ac?ops=contain(740,0)

Here's the story and video of the retrieval.
Incredible Footage Shows Whale Retrieve Phone Woman Dropped In The Ocean