Serious question: Is this whale a Russian spy?

By Cale Guthrie Weissman

Norwegian fishermen recently found something very unusual: a white beluga whale wearing what the Guardian describes as a “strange harness.” The bizarre strap had writing on it that indicated it hailed from St. Petersburg. This led experts in the Scandinavian country to the only logical conclusion: The whale is a Russian spy. Or, at least, it’s doing something for the Russian navy.

According to the report, the big whale exhibited strange behavior. It would proactively go up to boats and pull on on the vessels’ straps and ropes. Not only that, but the harness looked like it was made to hold either a camera or perhaps even a weapon. Very suspicious!

What exactly is Russia doing with these whales? It’s unclear. Norwegian scientists told the Guardian that they contacted Russian scientists, who did not take responsibility for the whale. In fact, the Nords were told that the Russian navy was the most likely culprit. Indeed, a research institute in northern Russia has done work for the country’s navy with beluga whales, investigating their ability to help divers and even kill enemies (although they found the whales to not be ideal animals for the tasks at hand).

All this makes it even more likely that this whale was indeed a Russian spy. What else is the country doing with whales or other marine animals? It’s anyone’s guess.

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