Timmy the Whale Was Released Into the North Sea After Being Stranded Off the German Coast for Weeks. Was That the Right Call?
The privately funded mission collapsed after the whale was released, and scientists said the 12-meter animal may already be dead.
- On Saturday, the 12-meter-long humpback whale known as Timmy was released from a water-filled barge into the Skagerrak, the strait between Denmark and Norway, ending a weeks-long rescue operation that captivated global audiences.
- The government of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern approved the rescue after public outcry, despite The Strandings Experts Panel advising 'palliative care' as the only humane response; Timmy had spent 6 weeks stranded in the region.
- Marine biologist Fabian Ritter criticized the operation, stating "during a whale rescue, you never, never, ever pull a whale by its fluke," while the privately funded rescue team collapsed amid recriminations and two wealthy benefactors distanced themselves.
- Two days after the release, it remains unclear whether Timmy is still alive as tracking attempts appear to have failed, though the team initially attached a satellite tag to monitor the whale's fate.
- Oceanographer Burkard Baschek stated there is a "strong possibility" Timmy has already died and is lying 700 meters down in the Skagerrak, contradicting optimistic rescue narratives with grim scientific assessment.
32 Articles
32 Articles
Timmy the Whale Was Released Into the North Sea After Being Stranded Off the German Coast for Weeks. Was That the Right Call?
The humpback whale first entered shallow water at the end of March, but its health deteriorated over the past few weeks. Experts have criticized efforts to rescue the animal, which may have done more harm than good
The rescue mission of humpback whale Timmy turns into a major tragedy. Agreements between the crew of the ship that took him to sea and the...
The environmental ministries want to protect seas better. But Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is against a flat-rate ban on landing nets. Minister Backhaus had been working for the stranded humpback whale for weeks.
According to experts, the humpback whale brought to the North Sea by a private rescue initiative after several strands on the Baltic Sea coast is probably dead.
The whale nicknamed Timmy is most likely dead. Marine biologists from the German Oceanographic Museum say so. The GPS transmitter has not provided any information for a long time. The device only works when the whale is above water and breathing, it does not work in deep waters.
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