Germany’s rescue teams began a complex operation this Thursday to try to save a sick humpback whale that has repeatedly become stranded off the coast of the Baltic Sea and has attracted massive attention across the country for weeks. The animal, nicknamed Timmy by local media, lies in shallow waters near the city of Wismar, in the east of the country, and has barely moved in recent days, raising fears that it may die soon.
The whale was first spotted in the region on March 3. It is unclear why it ventured into the Baltic Sea, an area far from its natural habitat. Some experts believe it may have become disoriented while following a school of herrings or during a migration phase. In any case, the chances of the animal finding its way out to the North Sea on its own—a journey of several hundred kilometers—and from there to the Atlantic Ocean are very slim.
Attempts made so far to refloat the mammal, with the help of police boats, excavators, and inflatable boats, managed to free it temporarily. However, the whale, between 12 and 15 meters long, never managed to leave the Baltic and became stranded again, increasingly weak and sick. Its health has been worsened by skin problems related to the low salinity of these waters.
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The case of Timmy has become a media phenomenon. Local media have even broadcast live coverage for days to follow its progress, while digital newspapers issue alerts with any minor change in its condition, including the evolution of its deteriorated skin. Activists have organized protests on Wismar beach demanding the release of the animal, while on social media and among influencers there is debate over whether the most compassionate thing would be to let it die in peace or continue trying to return it to the Atlantic. The expectation has been such that the police have established a 500-meter security perimeter to prevent onlookers from approaching and increasing the animal’s stress.
Despite these measures, a 67-year-old woman jumped into the water from a boat last weekend to try to get close to the whale before being intercepted. Meanwhile, experts have designed a highly sophisticated rescue plan: using air cushions to lift the animal onto a tarp, which will be secured to two pontoons and towed by a boat. Regional authorities have approved this private initiative to move Timmy back to the North Sea and, if possible, beyond, to the Atlantic. If all goes as planned, the tugboat with the whale should leave the Baltic this Friday.
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