The rescue of a humpback whale stranded off Germany's Baltic coast has been criticized as an 'all-round catastrophe' after it emerged that a tracker fitted to the animal was not working. The young male whale, nicknamed Timmy, was released into the Baltic Sea after weeks of stranding, but its whereabouts and health remain unknown three days later.
Failed Tracker Sparks Criticism
The privately funded rescue operation, estimated to cost about €1.5 million, was partly financed by Karin Walter-Mommert, a major racehorse owner. Walter-Mommert confirmed to German media that the tracker was not working, despite earlier claims it would transmit vital signs. This was disputed by experts and activists, including Greenpeace.
Experts Question Operation
Whale researcher Fabian Ritter called the lack of data an 'all-round catastrophe' for the whale and rescue team. The German Oceanographic Museum stated the whale is 'highly likely' dead and urged release of tracker data. Scientists had warned the rescue could be animal cruelty, as the whale might drown if too weak.
The whale was first stranded on 23 March near Lübeck and later near Wismar. Despite global livestreaming of rescue efforts, the whale's health deteriorated. Danish authorities said they would not intervene if the whale encountered further difficulty.
Confusion Over Release
Vet Kirsten Tönnies, barred from the final release, criticized how the whale was released backward from the barge without a medical all-clear. The ship's operators were unavailable, and the tracking signal of the Fortuna B was switched off. Co-financier Walter Gunz and Walter-Mommert distanced themselves from the release method.
Danish marine biologist Peter Madsen called the data secrecy 'very strange and unprofessional.' The environment ministry of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern said it was still waiting for data from the private initiative.
