Final preparations are under way for a privately funded operation to tow a sickly humpback whale, nicknamed Timmy, from the Baltic Sea coastline to the North Sea. The 12-tonne whale has been stranded off the island of Poel in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, for almost a month. The mission, known as Operation Cushion, is scheduled to start on Tuesday and involves transporting the whale 400km (248 miles) towards the North Sea, and eventually back to the Atlantic Ocean.
The rescue plan, funded by two prominent millionaires, involves lifting the 10-metre-long whale with air cushions and suspending it in a pontoon structure, which will then be towed by a tugboat. Rescue workers reported on Sunday that the whale had turned 90 degrees in the right direction, which state environment minister Till Backhaus described as preparing itself mentally and emotionally for departure.
However, the operation has faced fierce criticism from marine experts, who argue that the whale is dying and that a rescue attempt would cause further stress. Burkard Baschek, director of the Oceanographic Museum in Stralsund, called the effort 'pure animal cruelty', citing the whale's lethargic behaviour, a fishing net caught in its mouth, and blister-like skin blemishes. A report compiled by his colleagues concluded that the prognosis was 'very poor'.
Despite the criticism, Backhaus has backed the initiative, denying claims that his support is politically motivated ahead of a state election in September. He has been placed under extra police protection after receiving threats from members of the public who accused him of giving up on the whale too soon. The whale's plight has attracted hundreds of onlookers, including tourists from across Europe, with some swimming close to the animal despite police intervention.
