Attempts to rescue a young humpback whale stranded in shallow waters off the Baltic coast in Germany have been criticized by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) as “inadvisable.” The 10-meter-long whale, nicknamed Timmy or Hope, swam onto a sandbank more than a month ago, and its health deteriorated as it repeatedly became stranded. Hopes were raised on Tuesday when divers helped the mammal onto a flooded barge. By Wednesday, the barge, pulled by a tugboat, had reached Danish waters as it headed toward the North Sea.
However, the IWC’s strandings expert panel stated that the creature “appeared to be severely compromised” and was “unlikely to survive” even if attempts to move it into deeper water were successful. Till Backhaus, the environment minister for the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, said that if the whale were in good health, it would be released at sea. Backhaus told reporters, “Something like this has never happened before in Germany, where a life-saving operation of this kind has been carried out. And this was an experiment, and the experiment was a success, and that’s wonderful.” The minister noted that the whale was resting peacefully and had vocalized on Tuesday night.
The mission is being financed by two multimillionaires who have stated they hope to save the mammal “whatever it costs.” The rescue has sparked a national whale frenzy, with supporters baking whale-shaped cakes, composing songs about the animal, and getting tattoos of the whale. However, experts from the Oceanographic Museum in Stralsund on Germany’s Baltic coast have also stated that attempts to save the whale were in vain and that the whale should be left to die in peace. The creature has been described as lethargic and covered in blister-like blemishes. Parts of a fishing net, some of which was removed early on during its stranding, are believed to still be caught in its mouth.
Burkard Baschek, the museum’s director, said, “A rescue attempt … is no longer worthwhile … this has been confirmed to us repeatedly by international colleagues.” He argued that continuing to try to save the whale amounted to “pure animal cruelty.” On Wednesday, the same group of experts warned against releasing it into the open sea, stating it was in danger of drowning, and urged the team behind the operation to be transparent, including providing data on the creature’s whereabouts and release location if it were freed.
The IWC stated that active interventions to save stranded whales, “including refloat or translocation attempts such as towing or moving by barge,” were “inadvisable on grounds of animal welfare and human safety.” It added, “In our assessment, these interventions, although well meant, impose very considerable additional stress upon a creature that is already gravely ill, to little ultimate benefit.” The animal has been attached with a tracking device and is being accompanied by a support team that includes veterinarians. In the event of the animal’s death, the IWC said, work to recover its remains, carry out a detailed necropsy, and safely dispose of its remains should be carried out as soon as possible.
