Stranded humpback whale still alive in Baltic Sea
A humpback whale stranded for weeks in the Baltic Sea is still alive, amid controversy and protests in the German state, as what now appears to be a slow and likely inevitable agony continues.
Even the President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, has intervened in the case of the severely ill whale. Following expert advice, authorities in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern have decided not to attempt any further rescue efforts, CE Report quotes ANSA.
On Thursday, the president himself will meet with the technical experts who have been handling the case.
Stranded along the coast of Wismar, the whale—nicknamed Timmy—continues to breathe. While the animal lies exhausted, many people have gathered near the beach in recent days to protest the decision to stop rescue attempts. Some have even tried to cross police barriers set up to give the mammal some peace.
It has long been clear that not everyone agrees with the decision to wait. Three legal actions have even been filed, with urgent requests submitted to the local court to push for another rescue attempt.
In recent days, veterinarians who examined the whale—after it stranded for the fourth time in just a few days—strongly advised against further interventions. The only successful release attempt took place weeks ago at Timmendorfer Strand. Any new measures, they argued, would only cause unnecessary suffering.
It is considered better to let the whale die in peace. Its skin is severely damaged and would likely tear under the pressure of lifting straps.
Additionally, it appears that water has accumulated in its lungs—freshwater, in fact. Since the whale is stranded in the Baltic Sea, which is less salty than the North Sea, it is not in its natural habitat.
According to the Environment Ministry, misleading information and fraudulent donation requests related to the whale have also been circulating on social media.
“These contents are deceptive and exploit the current situation,” said Environment Minister Till Backhaus, stressing that these are neither official measures nor authorized fundraising campaigns.
