The German environment minister for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Till Backhaus, has defended the decision to allow a risky rescue attempt of a stranded humpback whale, known as Timmy, despite experts warning it was inadvisable. The whale’s death was confirmed by Danish authorities on Saturday, two weeks after it was transported to the North Sea.
Timmy had been stranded on a sandbank near Timmendorfer beach for nearly two months. Experts from the International Whaling Commission and the Oceanographic Museum in Stralsund had recommended leaving the whale to die in peace, citing its poor health and low survival chances. The juvenile male was described as lethargic, weak, and covered in blister-like blemishes, with parts of its mouth possibly caught in a fishing net.
Backhaus, a Social Democrat, said it was “perfectly human to seize even the slightest opportunity” and that the decision involved weighing certain death in agony against giving the whale one last chance. The privately funded rescue, costing an estimated €1.5 million (£1.3 million), involved floating the whale onto a barge and towing it to deeper waters off Denmark.
Danish authorities confirmed the whale found dead near the island of Anholt was Timmy, based on a tracking device. They advised people to stay away from the carcass due to possible diseases, though two people reportedly posed for selfies next to it.
