Efforts to rescue a young humpback whale stranded in the Baltic Sea off Germany have been criticised by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) as 'inadvisable'. The 10-metre-long whale, nicknamed Timmy or Hope, swam onto a sandbank over a month ago and its health has deteriorated. On Tuesday, divers helped the mammal onto a flooded barge, which was towed towards Danish waters en route to the North Sea.
The IWC's strandings expert panel said the whale 'appeared to be severely compromised' and 'unlikely to survive' even if moved to deeper water. Till Backhaus, environment minister for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, said the whale would be released if in good health, calling the operation an 'experiment' that succeeded. He added the whale was resting peacefully and had vocalised on Tuesday night.
The mission, financed by two multimillionaires, has sparked a national frenzy, with supporters baking whale-shaped cakes and composing songs. However, experts from the Oceanographic Museum in Stralsund said attempts were in vain and the whale should be left to die in peace. Director Burkard Baschek described continuing efforts as 'pure animal cruelty'.
The whale is lethargic, covered in blister-like blemishes, and believed to have fishing net parts still caught in its mouth. The IWC warned that active interventions impose 'very considerable additional stress' on a gravely ill creature, urging transparency from the rescue team. The animal has a tracking device and is accompanied by veterinarians.
