Rescuers have released a young humpback whale that became a national sensation after being stranded in shallow waters off the coast of Germany, although marine experts have said its chances of survival are low. The whale, nicknamed Timmy or Hope, was released into the North Sea off Denmark after being transported there in a water-filled barge.
Successful Release
The 10-metre long calf swam out of the barge and was later observed blowing through its blowhole and swimming freely 'in the right direction', according to Karin Walter-Mommert from the rescue initiative. 'It is now swimming on its own and freely, and at least for the time being, in the right direction,' she added. The whale has been equipped with a tracker to follow its movements.
Criticism from Experts
The rescue attempt had been criticised by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) as 'inadvisable' because the whale appeared to be 'severely compromised' and was unlikely to survive after its release. Experts from the Oceanographic Museum in Stralsund on Germany's Baltic coast also recommended the creature should be left to die in peace. The museum's director, Burkard Baschek, said trying to save the whale amounted to 'pure animal cruelty'.
The Rescue Operation
The whale, which became stranded on a sandbank in Wismar Bay near the city of Lübeck nearly six weeks ago, was described as lethargic and covered in blister-like blemishes, with parts of its mouth believed to be caught in a fishing net. As its health deteriorated, German officials initially gave up trying to rescue the mammal. However, after the whale's plight garnered national interest, with coverage from TV channels and social media influencers, German authorities were persuaded to approve a privately financed rescue plan funded by two multimillionaires who said they were prepared to pay 'whatever it costs'. Initial attempts with inflatable cushions and pontoons were unsuccessful, but divers eventually managed to help the creature onto a flooded barge, watched by hundreds of onlookers.
Political and Public Reaction
Till Backhaus, the Social Democratic (SPD) environment minister for the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, said he was hopeful of a 'happy end'. In Germany, supporters have been baking whale-shaped cakes, composing songs about the animal, and tattooing their bodies with its image. However, the site of Timmy's release is close to Denmark. The Danish environment ministry has told German TV broadcaster Deutsche Welle it was not planning to rescue the whale if it became stranded again, describing whale beaching as a 'completely natural phenomenon'.
