The story of the humpback whale Timmy, followed by thousands of people around the world, ended tragically. Two weeks after the risky rescue operation, the animal was found dead off the coast of Denmark.
A dead humpback whale has been found near the small island of Anholt in the Kattegat Strait, which separates Denmark and Sweden. Danish authorities confirmed that it is indeed the whale named Timmy, which was recently attempted to be rescued after its appearance in the Baltic Sea.
The animal's story attracted significant public and media attention. Timmy was first spotted off the coast of Germany on March 3. According to specialists, the whale may have gotten off course during migration while chasing schools of fish.
Initially, the animal ended up in shallow waters near the resort of Timmendorfer Strand. Rescuers managed to return it to the water with the help of an excavator. However, the whale soon found itself in danger again.
The animal's condition deteriorated, and experts gradually lost hope for a successful rescue. Despite the skeptical assessments of some scientists, an initiative group decided to conduct a risky operation: the whale was transported on a barge to deeper waters. On May 2, Timmy was released about 70 kilometers from the Danish Skagen.
However, after some time, the animal was found dead south of the release site — near the island of Anholt.
A representative of the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, Jene Hansen, reported that specialists removed a tracking device from the carcass, which confirmed the whale's identity.
The cause of death remains unknown. Authorities have also not yet made a final decision regarding the disposal of the carcass. Meanwhile, residents and tourists have been urged not to approach the animal due to potential infectious risks.
The Minister of the Environment of the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Till Backhaus, noted that the operation gave the whale a chance to return to a normal life, but it was unable to take advantage of it.
According to specialists, Timmy's story once again demonstrated how complex and unpredictable rescue operations for large marine animals can be. Despite the tragic ending, the participants in the operation are confident that the attempt to save the whale was justified, as it was the only chance to return the animal to its natural habitat.
