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Humpback Whale Stranded Again Off Germany’s Baltic Coast, Rescuers Remain Hopeful
BERLIN – A humpback whale that has repeatedly become stranded along Germany’s Baltic Sea coast was stuck once more on Tuesday, just hours after freeing itself, officials reported. Despite the setback, rescue teams expressed cautious optimism that the whale could eventually find its way back to open waters.
The whale, measuring between 39 and 49 feet, had been trapped near the port city of Wismar since the weekend before breaking free late Monday. It vanished from view for several hours but reappeared Tuesday near the island of Walfisch-a name that historically means “whale” in German.
Authorities, including police and Greenpeace activists, deployed rubber boats to escort the whale safely out of Wismar Bay. However, the whale diverted into a narrow inlet where it became stranded again, according to Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania’s Environment Minister Till Backhaus. Fortunately, rescuers managed to prevent it from venturing too far into shallow waters, and it currently remains in a deep enough area to swim independently, said Greenpeace marine biologist Thilo Maack.
Earlier last week, rescuers successfully freed the whale from a shallow sandbank near the resort town of Timmendorfer Strand-about 30 miles from its current location-using an excavator. Though the whale seemed exhausted, it soon encountered difficulties again, this time in somewhat deeper water.
Officials are now hoping to provide the whale with a calm environment to regain strength, possibly encouraging it to move with the assistance of boats. The situation has drawn significant public attention across Germany, with frequent media updates tracking the whale’s condition and movements.
Experts emphasize that even if the whale manages to leave the bay, it still faces a long journey to reach its natural habitat. “Our goal is for the whale to exit Wismar Bay, pass through the Baltic Sea, then Danish waters, into the North Sea, and finally back to the Atlantic where it belongs,” Maack explained. He added that the animal is adapted for ocean depths much greater than anything found in the Baltic Sea.
The whale was first observed in the region on March 3, and its presence in the Baltic Sea remains a mystery. Some scientists speculate it may have become disoriented while chasing a shoal of herring or during migration.
Due to the whale’s deteriorated skin condition-likely a result of prolonged exposure to the Baltic’s low salinity-no tracking device has been attached. To reach the North Sea, it must still travel several hundred miles.
Minister Backhaus noted that a health check on Monday showed the whale “has potential” to recover. “It is obviously ill, and we don’t know what internal issues it may have,” he said. “But I’m still hopeful for a positive outcome.”