Apr 23, 2026, 7:11 amApr 23, 2026, 7:11 am
What’s next for the stranded humpback whale Timmy? In any case, lifting the whale with air cushions and transporting it away using pontoons and a tarpaulin is out of the question, said Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s Environment Minister Till Backhaus (SPD) in a statement to the press on Wednesday evening.
“We have to revise the concept.”
The private aid initiative, which received the green light for the rescue concept from the Environment Minister about a week ago, did not appear in front of the press as planned. Backhaus said she was working hard to revise the plan. Further measures would have to be technically sound, take the animal’s behavior into account and be coordinated with the responsible authorities. If in doubt, the country can veto it.
The whale Timmy has been making headlines for weeks.Image: www.imago-images.de
To save or not to save?
Experts from the International Whaling Commission (IWC) recommend providing the marine mammal with as calm and palliative care as possible. Backhaus sees this as confirmation. “This assessment is consistent with the scientific assessment that has been the basis of our actions from the beginning,” he said.
“He wasn’t that active.”
Humpback whale Timmy lies further in the hollow at the end of the Kirchsee. The water police monitored the animal around the clock that night. «We were there all night. He wasn’t that active,” a spokesman told the German Press Agency in the morning. At around 6:30 a.m., the live streams showed that the marine mammal was occasionally moving slightly and humping. His breathing could also be regularly seen due to the small water fountain.
A scientific report came to the conclusion at the beginning of April that a rescue attempt was not promising and carried considerable risks for the animal. On this basis, the country decided to forego further active interventions for the time being.
Transmitter attached to the whale
After three weeks in the same spot, the whale suddenly swam off on Monday morning when the water level rose. Helpers tried to drive him from boats towards the Baltic Sea. After two hours, the presumably exhausted animal stopped at the transition from the bay called Kirchsee to the Wismar Bay, where significantly deeper waters lead towards the Baltic Sea.
A transmitter has now been attached to the animal. In this way, its path could be followed if it unexpectedly breaks free and starts swimming. The whale has been stranded five to six times now, considering its movements on Monday, Backhaus said.
According to the initiative, rescue efforts have recently focused on giving the animal more space. On Tuesday, helpers had already worked on the surface using suction and flushing technology. The whale is now lying in a hollow in the water so that as little weight as possible should be placed on it and its organs. Because of the sun’s rays, his back was covered with wet towels. It did not eat two and a half kilograms of fish that were offered to the whale on Tuesday.
Ministry tolerates private rescue operations
“If you don’t do anything, you don’t make any mistakes,” said Backhaus on Poel on Wednesday. But inaction is still not an option.
“We can say together: We tried. And trying makes you smart.”
The treatment of the animal was repeatedly criticized from various quarters, and Backhaus himself was also exposed to accusations.
With regard to the private initiative’s actions, the minister said: “There was no award and no approval – but a legally required toleration.” According to the Federal Nature Conservation Act, everyone is allowed to help a helpless animal. The sole criterion for government action is animal welfare. The country is closely monitoring the measures and veterinarians are on site around the clock.
Backhaus announced that he would deal with the events politically. “We have to prepare for the fact that such situations may occur more frequently in the future. That’s why I will work at the federal level for better common structures when dealing with large whales. ” (sda/dpa)