End of hope for the Baltic humpback whale. German services interrupt the rescue operation

After more than a week of trying to free a humpback whale stranded off the northern coast of Germany, the services announced that they would take no further action to help it. The animal will probably die soon.

At a press conference, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern's Environment Minister Till Backhaus said rescuers “did everything to give” the large mammal a chance. He called the fate of the humpback whale an “exceptional tragedy.”

Experts predict that the animal trapped in the shallows near Wismar in the Baltic Sea will soon die. The humpback whale has damaged skin, probably because the water in the Baltic Sea contains less salt than the Atlantic, its natural habitat. In order to alleviate the suffering of the humpback whale, the fire brigade pours water on its back, which protrudes above the water surface.

The fate of the humpback whale, named Timmy, is followed by public opinion throughout Germany. The animal was spotted on the night of March 22-23 off the coast of Timmendorfer Strand, where it got stuck on a sandy shallow. March 26, among others Thanks to a channel dug using excavators, it managed to free itself and re-emerge into the Baltic Sea. It later ran aground again in a bay off the island of Poel north of Wismar.

Whales, including humpback whales, are increasingly observed in the Baltic Sea. Experts emphasize that the Baltic Sea is not a suitable environment for humpback whales due to its shallow waters, low salinity and limited food base. Human activity in this area also remains a threat. (PAP)

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