Published

Europe29 April, 20262 min read

Humpback Whale Rescued in Germany Found Dead Off Denmark Near Angholt

Humpback Timmy was rescued from Germany’s Baltic coast and released into the North Sea. The whale was later found dead off Denmark near Anholt after the rescue.

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Humpback Whale Rescued in Germany Found Dead Off Denmark Near Angholt
Image: USA Today

Timmy Dies in Denmark

A humpback whale that had been rescued in Germany was found dead off the coast of Denmark, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency said, after the animal was discovered near the island of Angholt in the strait between Denmark and Sweden. Jane Hansen, division head at the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, said the whale near Anholt could now be confirmed as the same animal that had been stranded in Germany and was the subject of rescue attempts.

The Danish Environmental Protection Agency said the identity was established after a tracking device remained attached to the whale’s back after the rescue operation in German waters. The dead whale was discovered on May 14, and the cause of death has not yet been reported.

Image from ABC News
Image: ABC News
Reporting for this sectionUA.NEWSSouth China Morning Post

Rescue Timeline and Debate

The whale, dubbed “Timmy” in German media, was initially spotted stuck on a sandbank on March 23, and after several failed attempts it was put in a barge and released into the North Sea off Denmark on May 2. The BBC said the operation was privately funded by two German entrepreneurs and spurred intense public debate, with critics suggesting it would only cause the animal distress.

The BBC reported that a whale carcass was reportedly spotted on Thursday off the Danish island of Anholt, and authorities were not immediately able to confirm it was the same whale. In Germany, the BBC said entrepreneurs Karin Walter-Mommert and Walter Gunz later funded a private rescue, fitting the whale with a tracking device and coaxing it onto a water-filled transport ship called Fortuna B.

Image from AP News
Image: AP News
Reporting for this sectionBBC

No Plans, Public Warning

After the identity was verified, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency told AFP there were "no concrete plans to remove the whale from the area or to perform a necropsy" and that it was "not currently considered to pose a problem in the area." The BBC added that the agency stressed people should not approach the whale because it might carry diseases that can be transmitted to humans.

The BBC also said there may be a risk of explosion because of large volumes of internal gas caused by decomposition. In Germany’s Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the BBC reported environment minister Till Backhaus hailed the operation as a success and an "example for Germany of what can be done," even as wildlife groups warned about the whale’s future after its release into the North Sea.

Reporting for this sectionBBC