THE POWER OF ONE WHALE.
At OneWhale, our mission is to protect Hvaldimir, while we advocate for his future in the wild with other belugas, so that he is no longer lost and alone. Our efforts also include co-founding the Norwegian Whale Reserve, with the vision to free other whales from captivity and provide them a natural safe haven in the arctic.
ONE WHALE
HVALDIMIR’S STORY. Hvaldimir, as named by Norwegian locals, is a young male beluga whale who arrived in Norway wearing a harness in April of 2019. Upon his arrival, it was clear he was a trained whale and pursued interactions with humans. Hvaldimir has spent the majority of his time at busy industrial salmon farms, which poses a workplace hazard and environmental liability for the salmon industry.
Additionally, there has been a dramatic increase in unregulated tourism targeted at Hvaldimir, which is often dangerous. He has been injured by boat propellers, sharp objects, and fishing hooks.
HIS LIFE IS IN SERIOUS JEOPARDY IF THIS SITUATION IS IGNORED.
Experts are assessing the best solution for Hvaldimir and Norway. One solution for his immediate safety and protection is to relocate him into his own safe fjord, and create protected nature reserve around the world's most famous beluga whale. A protected reserve will allow Hvaldimir to have protection from tourists, and allow him to live his life in the most natural way possible. Our goal is to offer this extraordinary place as a refuge for other whales who have been rescued from concrete tanks. Our goal is that Hvaldimir will joined by more of his kind, and potentially released into a wild habitat.
TEAM HVALDIMIR
-
TEAM HVALDIMIR
Wearing recognisable high visibility OneWhale gear, Team Hvaldimir ensures his safety and keeps salmon farms’ mind at ease he isn’t stressing their fish.
-
EDUCATION
In conjunction with regional universities, life science, and veterinary colleges, we will offer learning opportunities for students from Norway and around the world. Working in such a unique reserve setting will provide students and scientists a one-of-a-kind learning experience that will benefit essential careers in ocean conservation and marine wildlife care.
-
EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION
By providing classes and activities for students at local schools on topics such as marine biology, marine mammals, ocean protection, wildlife reserves, and plastic pollution, we will engage both the region and the world. Such leadership will increase awareness and inspire positive actions that will lead to more balanced and sustainable ecosystems.
-
![]()
A WHALE IN SERIOUS DANGER.
Hvaldimir is technically a “free” whale. He hunts fish and eats on his own, is no longer dependent on humans, and has done an amazing job surviving. However, Hvaldimir is not safe.
Unfortunately, he is still in serious danger due to his surroundings. He is lonely and has no other whales for company, so he seeks the company of humans. This poses a danger not only to Hvaldimir but also to the humans who try to swim and interact with him.
In summer of 2021 he was critically injured, resulting in a serious wound, possibly caused by a boat or fishing equipment.
-
![]()
FISH FARMS
Norway’s largest export is salmon, and the fjords are full of high-tech farms, each holding millions of salmon. These farms are attractive to Hvaldimir and so he pesters the workers to interact with him.
The salmon farms are reporting him to be a problem because he is disrupting their work, sometimes he pesters the workers to interact with him and is getting in the way of boats and machinery. It is possible that Hvaldimir could be caught in a boat prop or harmed in other ways by being near fish farms, or increase the chances he will be seen as a nuisance..
-
![BOAT PROPELLERS]()
BOAT PROPELLERS
We have documented up to 300 people a day seeking out Hvaldimir by tour boat, private boat, and jet ski. Hvaldimir has been hit by propellers in the past and he has continued to come up to boats within inches of the propellers, even when they are running. Hvaldimir does not understand the danger of boats and humans. He does not avoid them as a wild whale would. In fact, he has been taught by his former captors to do the opposite.
-
![CAPTIVE WHALES]()
CAPTIVITY
During our team’s time in Norway, there have been proposals of Hvaldimir going into a zoological centre (a tank) to be “cared” for and “protected”. We believe that a tank is not the place for this whale or any marine mammal for that matter.
-
![]()
COMMERCIAL FISHING
There is heavy fishing practiced in these fjords, with large commercial nets. The nets go down and are left unattended for the day.
Hvaldimir could get caught in the fishing nets, and because he can only hold his breath for approximately twenty minutes, he will drown. What’s more, sometimes the only option for the fisherman to release a whale is to cut off their fin. This usually results in the whale bleeding to death in the water.
NORWEGIAN WHALE RESERVE
The Norwegian Whale Reserve is an ambitious project with a mission to rewild captive whales by providing them a safe haven in their natural, arctic habitat.
The initiative was inspired by Hvaldimir, a displaced beluga whale who was in need of protection and rehabilitation. The project evolved to encompass a much larger goal of rescuing whales who are living in small tanks around the world; to give them a chance for rehabilitation or release into the wild.
Hammerfest, the Arctic city that cared for Hvaldimir during the initial four months of his stay in Norway, has an ideal location for creating a natural space for formerly captive whales. The area is surrounded by islands and fjords, allowing for the possibility of enclosing a section of a fjord to create a suitable, protected habitat for the whales.
The Norwegian Whale Reserve (NWR) was established in 2022 as an independent organization with the primary vision of bringing captive whales of Arctic origin back to their natural habitat through rewilding.
The four core goals of NWR are:
Rescue
whales from concrete tanks, environments where they are displayed, or made to perform for humans.Rehabilitate
whales, reducing their dependency on humans.Research
and define best practices for whale rehabilitation and share these findings.Release
rehabilitated whales back into the wild whenever possible.In March 2023, the politicians in Hammerfest voted yes to move forward with the discovery phase of the Norwegian Whale Reserve project. Since then, NWR has completed environmental studies of the fjord to begin to obtain the necessary approvals and licenses. This work is currently in progress, and further updates will be provided as the project advances.
OneWhale, the organization that initiated the project, takes pride in this significant initiative and is actively involved in fundraising efforts.
Please support the creation of the Norwegian Whale Reserve. Your donations to OneWhale will be earmarked specifically for this purpose and granted directly to NWR.
-
![]()
FLOATING CABIN FACILITY
A floating house with a dock will be the core base for the team providing care for Hvaldimir. This will provide housing for the staff, a small on-site veterinary laboratory and on-site food preparation should Hvaldimir require provisioning at any point.
-
![]()
STAFF
Staff will monitor behaviour, provide social stimulation and enrichment, plus carry out daily health checks. They will be supported by a veterinary and animal care team. Our goal is to have interns - including veterinary students - join the team. The team will be supported through grants, university internship programs, government funding, private donations, corporate support and potentially through the visitors centre.
-
![]()
CRITICAL CARE POOL
In the event of an emergency to ensure Hvaldimir can receive the highest standard of health care, a floating seapen will be positioned alongside the staff housing facility.
-
![]()
THE FJORD
The ideal fjord will have key natural attributes that will provide for a stable, safe, and healthy environment for Hvaldimir to hunt, forage, dive and explore.
THE POWER OF YOU
THE FUTURE OF WHALE CONSERVATION
OneWhale’s public safety program (Team Hvaldimir) has observed Hvaldimir’s journey and has monitored his location, behaviour, and interactions with the public over the course of the past two and a half years. Hvaldimir lives full time at salmon farms and sometimes causes interruptions in their work. Also, Hvaldimir has a burgeoning unregulated tourist industry cropping up around him, with amateur and professional tour operators and dive instructors selling group trips to swim and dive with Hvaldimir. To address these public concerns, OneWhale created the “Team Hvaldimir Public Safety program” to educate the public and cultivate a working relationship with salmon farms.
With year-round volunteers on site, Team Hvaldimir provides a resource and go-to contact to help farms manage the whale, so the farm workers can continue their jobs. By providing a safety and education program, we have found an effective temporary solution for Hvaldimir’s challenges. During this time, Team Hvaldimir has documented threats to Hvaldimir’s wellbeing, including potential entanglement in fishing gear and injuries from close interaction with boats and the general public.
DONATE!
YOUR DONATIONS KEEP HVALDIMIR SAFE AND HELP BUILD THE NORWEGIAN WHALE RESERVE.
$10
Meals for
volunteers.
$25
Support lodging
for volunteers.
$40
Fuel & Boat Rental
for Team Hvaldimir.
$50
Join the fundraiser to buy a used Van for Team Hvaldimir to save money on storing gear & transporting volunteers.
OUR TEAM
A VOICE FOR HVALDIMIR. OneWhale is a nonprofit created expressly for protecting the health and welfare of Hvaldimir, Norway’s famous resident beluga whale. OneWhale has enlisted a world-renowned team of experts, including whale researchers, scientists, and marine mammal veterinarians, all dedicated to helping Hvaldimir lead a long, healthy, and safe life in Norway.
OneWhale, in collaboration with NOAH, has assembled a team of animal care professionals and other experts, including the below individuals. Our ultimate mission is to find a long-term solution that is good for Hvaldimir and also good for Norway.
OneWhale Team
-
Dr. Siri Martinsen
Veterinarian
Leader at NOAH for animal rights -
Dr. Maria Lien
Veterinarian
NOAH for animal rights -
Inge Wegge
Filmmaker
-
Lars Erik Engstrøm
National Affairs Coordinator
-
Regina Crosby Haug
Founder / Board of Directors
-
Krista Levandofsky
Executive Director, Communications, Board of Directors
-
Jane Mauser
Business Development / Board of Directors
-
Jana Cierkens
Finance
Hvaldimir in the Press
Media Highlight
CBS NEWS | Beluga, believed to be former spy whale, befriends community in Norway
A beluga whale that may have been outfitted with a camera for spying showed up in Hammerfest, Norway, in 2019. Since then, he has been embraced by members of the community, who named him Hvaldimir. Now, his people are working to make sure he has a safe, fulfilling life.
NRK | Hvaldimir has become toothless: - People must stop sticking planks in his mouth
The celebrity whale Hvaldimir has no more teeth left. The animal welfare organization is concerned that people are playing with him with planks. Read More
CONTACT US!
We love making new friends. For more information on supporting this critical project, please contact us. We look forward to all potential collaborations.
Send your questions about your donation, volunteering or any general enquiry to info@onewhale.org or fill in the form and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.
