An audacious rescue attempt is underway to save Timmy, a humpback whale stranded on Germany's Baltic coast, after it was successfully guided onto a water-filled barge. Rescuers hope this operation will allow the whale to be released into deeper waters and ultimately save its life.
Rescue Operation Details
In a last-ditch effort near the northern city of Lübeck, where Timmy became beached four weeks ago on a sandbank, rescuers coaxed the juvenile male onto a barge typically used for transporting ships. The whale's plight has captivated national attention in Germany, with fears mounting that it would not survive if not safely returned to its natural habitat in the North Sea. German outlet Bild, granted exclusive access to the operation, reported that Timmy is currently navigating through the busy Fehmarn Belt, the waterway separating Germany and Denmark, described as "heavy rush-hour traffic."
Chief driver Fred Babbel told Bild that Timmy is making fast progress. "Timmy is currently near Fehmarn," he explained on Tuesday morning. "He's only making such good progress because of the excellent weather – no wind."
Health Concerns and Risks
However, specialists at the German Oceanographic Museum have expressed concerns about the whale's fitness to return to the open seas after the rescue attempt. The operation involves attaching straps to the whale and dragging it down a channel dug into the sand to reach the barge. "The chances of a successful rescue are very slim due to the animal's poor state of health and the generally poor prognosis," the museum said in a statement before the attempt. The procedure would cause "a great deal of stress and a high risk of injury" to the whale, resulting in "very high noise levels inside the barge due to the high level of sound reflection."
Funding and Public Reaction
The rescue attempt was financed by two millionaires, including Karin Walter-Mommert. "I can't even say how happy I am," she told Bild. "You could see that the whale fought and wanted to live. Knowing he's now in the barge is simply wonderful and shows that the fight for Timmy was worth it."
Timmy was first spotted around a month ago in low-saline waters, which whales usually avoid. Named after Timmendorfer beach near the Baltic island where he was stranded, scientists believe the location suggests the animal was disoriented or ill, as it repeatedly ran aground on sandbanks in subsequent weeks. Officials in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania rejected several public calls for euthanasia to end its suffering, focusing instead on minimising stress during rescue. Members of the public have sent thousands of emails, some containing death threats, while activists have set up camp near the rescue site.
The humpback whale species is currently at low risk of extinction, having once been hunted to the brink of extinction.
