Hvaldimir the white beluga whale appears to be smiling in this picture. The animal was found dead ... [ ] over the weekend.

Animal rights advocates have filed a police report in Norway seeking a criminal investigation into the death of Hvalidmir, the beluga whale famously suspected of being a Russian spy. The animal was found dead off the Norwegian coast on Saturday, devastating conservationists and fans worldwide who’d followed his unusual story and grown attached to his playful spirit.

While the veterinary institute conducting the autopsy has yet to reveal definitive results, preliminary findings indicate the whale died by gunshot, according to the two organizations that filed the police report: nonprofit One Whale and Norwegian animal rights organization NOAH.

“The injuries on the whale are alarming and of a nature that cannot rule out a criminal act—it is shocking,” Siri Martinsen, a veterinarian and leader of NOAH, said in a statement shared via email on Wednesday. “Given the suspicion of a criminal act, it is crucial that the police are involved quickly. Hvaldimir was significant to many, and all facts must be brought to light regarding his death.”

Veterinarians, biologists and........

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