March 25, 2026, 2:44 p.mMarch 25, 2026, 2:44 p.m
It could be the last attempt to free the humpback whale lying aground on the German Baltic Sea coast: a large suction dredger was launched, as Carsten Mannheimer from the marine protection organization Sea Shepherd told the German Press Agency (dpa).
The whale on the German Baltic Sea coast is fighting for its life.Image: keystone
He is supposed to dig a groove in the sand in front of the whale’s head. This means the animal doesn’t have to turn to get away, explained Mannheimer. It was initially unclear whether the excavator would be used today or tomorrow.
Unlike in previous days, the whale’s regular humming could no longer be heard on Wednesday. Experts had also spoken of skin changes as a result of the stranding. According to experts from the German Maritime Museum, the chances of survival are slim: “The whale’s health is worrying, both in terms of its skin and its general condition,” it was said on Tuesday.
Bigger than initially assumed
Measurements have shown that the humpback whale lying off Timmendorfer Strand (Schleswig-Holstein) is larger than initially assumed: It is probably between 12 and 15 meters long and weighs an estimated around 15 tons, said Joseph Schnitzler from the Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW).
The whale’s health has recently deteriorated.Image: keystone
With such a massive animal, it is even more difficult to get it back into deeper water. In the Baltic Sea there is no clear tide that could wash the whale back into deeper water.
Not the first rescue attempt
The humpback whale was discovered on the sandbank Monday morning. On Tuesday, a rescue attempt with a small suction excavator failed. “Unfortunately it turned out that the sand was too solid,” explained ITAW whale expert Stephanie Gross. Other attempts had previously failed. Although it was possible to turn the whale towards the deeper channel, it could not get free.
Attempts to make waves with police boats so that the whale could swim free also had no effect. In order not to cause the whale any further stress, the experiments were initially stopped. But the hope that the animal would be able to swim free with the flooding on Tuesday night was also not fulfilled.
Video: watson/Emanuella Kälin
Birds settle on whale
There are barriers and police about a hundred meters in front of the pier where the whale was stranded. White crowns appeared on the Baltic Sea on Wednesday. It’s stormy, freezing cold and rainy – which is probably why only a few onlookers can be seen behind the barriers.
Every minute or so you can see the whale breathing and a small fountain spraying up from its head. His back sticks out of the water. Every now and then seabirds settle down and peck something off the whale’s back.
According to experts, humpback whales can weigh up to around 30 tons and have a life expectancy of up to 90 years. Characteristic of the species are the long pectoral fins called flippers, which reach a third of the body length. (dab/sda/dpa)