Apr 10, 2026, 10:51 amApr 10, 2026, 10:51 am
The humpback whale stranded on the German Baltic Sea coast survived the night. The animal’s situation remains unchanged, said the spokesman for the Environment Ministry of the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Claus Tantzen.
Humpback whale Timmy is dying.Image: keystone
“He’s still breathing,” he confirmed. The whale showed slight activity during the night. In the morning we will discuss what will be done next. “I assume that we will continue to leave the animal alone, as we have done in the last few days,” said Tantzen.
Whale is dying
According to experts, the animal is dying. The whale no longer reacts to boats, which, according to Bianca König from the animal protection organization Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) Germany, is a sign of the dying process.
On Tuesday, the environment minister of the northeast German state, Till Backhaus, decided, based on a scientific report, to let the whale, known by many as “Timmy,” die in peace. This decision is also supported by the International Whaling Commission Strandings Expert Panel (IWC SEP). This emphasizes that further rescue attempts would only cause the animal to suffer more. (dab/sda/dpa)