Dead whale found off Denmark confirmed as stranded Timmy

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press
ANHOLT, Denmark — A dead humpback whale found off the coast of Denmark has been confirmed as “Timmy,” the whale whose repeated strandings and controversial rescue operation drew public attention in Germany.

According to DW Türkçe, Danish authorities confirmed that the carcass spotted near Anholt Island belonged to the same humpback whale that had been stranded for weeks along Germany’s northern coast. Timmy had been moved to the open sea in early May after a privately financed operation, but the animal was later found dead in Danish waters.

Danish authorities confirmed the whale’s identity

The dead whale was first examined on Friday, but rescue teams were initially unable to confirm its identity because of the animal’s position in the water. A tracking device had previously been attached to Timmy, but it could not be clearly located during the first inspection.

On Saturday, divers managed to photograph the whale’s dorsal fin. Danish Environmental Protection Agency official Jane Hansen told AFP that conditions later allowed a staff member to identify and remove the tracking device that was still attached to the whale’s back.

Hansen said the position and appearance of the device confirmed that the dead whale was the same animal previously observed and assisted in German waters.

No immediate plan to remove the carcass

Danish authorities said there was currently no plan to remove the whale’s body. The carcass was found far from residential areas and was not considered a direct threat to public health.

Officials nevertheless warned people to keep a safe distance and avoid approaching the whale. Decomposing whale carcasses can pose risks because they may carry diseases that can spread to humans. They can also produce large amounts of gas during decomposition, creating a risk of explosion.

The Danish Environmental Protection Agency said it understood the strong public interest in this particular whale, but stressed that safety precautions must be respected.

Timmy was first seen in Germany in March

The roughly 12-meter-long humpback whale was first spotted on March 3 in Wismar Harbor, in the northern German state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. German media later named the whale “Timmy.”

At the time, rescue teams removed pieces of fishing net that had become attached to the animal. The whale then continued to move through shallow coastal waters, raising concern among marine experts and local authorities.

On March 23, Timmy was found farther west on a beach near Timmendorfer Strand in Schleswig-Holstein. Rescue teams spent days trying to help the animal return to deeper water. Heavy machinery was eventually used to dig a channel and guide the whale back toward the sea.

The whale stranded repeatedly

Timmy disappeared from the coastal area on the night of March 27, but returned to shallow waters the next day. On March 28, the whale was seen again in Wismar Bay, south of Walfisch Island, where it came close to a sandbank.

When the water level rose on March 29, the whale briefly moved forward. However, it became motionless again only a few meters away in Wismar Bay.

The repeated strandings raised serious concerns about the whale’s condition. Experts warned that the animal may have been too weak to swim normally, dive properly or feed independently.

A private rescue operation sparked debate

After several failed attempts, authorities initially said rescue efforts would be stopped. But a private initiative later emerged to finance a new operation.

Businesswoman Karin Walter-Mommert, known from equestrian sports, and Walter Gunz, co-founder of MediaMarkt, stepped in to support a rescue plan. The proposal involved placing the whale on a water-filled barge and transporting it to deeper waters in the North Sea.

The operation was criticized by some experts, who said the chances of success were low. They argued that the whale was already very weak and that moving it could cause additional stress.

Timmy was released in the North Sea

Despite those warnings, the whale was placed on a water-filled barge and towed toward the North Sea. Timmy, believed to be between four and six years old, was released on May 2.

The operation initially led some officials and supporters to describe the whale as rescued. But marine conservation groups urged caution, saying true success could only be measured if the animal survived, healed and resumed normal behavior.

On May 14, a whale carcass was spotted near Denmark’s Anholt Island. The later identification confirmed that it was Timmy.

Experts had questioned the rescue

The Whale and Dolphin Conservation organization had previously criticized claims that the whale had been saved. The group said Timmy could only be considered rescued if it returned to the North Atlantic, survived there for a long period, recovered from skin injuries, began feeding independently, gained weight and resumed natural behavior.

Marine biologist Thilo Maack of Greenpeace also questioned the rescue efforts. Speaking to the AP news agency last month, he said the attempts had caused serious stress to the animal.

“I think the whale will die very soon. And I also want to ask: What is so bad about that? Yes, animals live, animals die. This animal is really, very, very sick. And it decided to rest,” Maack said.

German minister defended the decision

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Environment Minister Till Backhaus thanked Danish authorities for helping identify the whale that had drawn public attention in Germany for weeks.

Backhaus also defended the decision to allow the private rescue attempt, despite warnings from some marine life experts in his state. He said it was sad that the whale’s limited chance of survival could not be realized.

“When a life is at stake, it seems completely humane to me to consider even the smallest possibility. Those who want to criticize this may do so,” Backhaus said.

The minister had previously said the controversial operation had “rescued” the whale. The confirmation of Timmy’s death is now likely to renew debate over how authorities, private sponsors and conservation experts should respond when large marine animals become stranded and critically weakened.

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