Timmy didn’t make it. The young humpback whale that had kept Germany, Denmark and millions of people on social media in suspense for weeks was found dead in the waters of the Kattegat, off the Danish island of Anholt. This was confirmed by the recovery of the GPS transmitter installed on the cetacean during the very delicate rescue attempt which cost around 1.5 million euros. The carcass was located about 70 kilometers from the point where the animal was freed on May 2nd, after a massive operation that involved rescuers, veterinarians, marine biologists and special vehicles.
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The Danish Environmental Protection Agency, which identified the whale thanks to its tracker and scars on its skin and tail fin.
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The wrong trip to the Baltic that changed everything
Timmy’s story began in March, when the ten-meter-long humpback whale appeared in the German port of Wismar, in the Baltic Sea. Experts believe the animal may have become disoriented during migration or while following schools of herring away from its natural habitat. The first stranding occurred on March 23 near Timmendorfer Strand. From that moment the situation deteriorated rapidly. Timmy kept running aground in the shallows of the Baltic, an environment too unsalted for a humpback whale. His physical condition worsened day by day: irregular breathing, difficulty moving, skin lesions and even parts of his mouth caught in fishing nets. When the German authorities were already considering interrupting operations, two private entrepreneurs – Karin Walter-Mommert and Walter Gunz – decided to finance a final, spectacular rescue attempt.
The 1.5 million rescue and the debate between emotion and science
The operation had affected public opinion throughout Europe. The whale had been loaded onto a giant barge filled with water and towed towards the North Sea, in the hope that it could set sail again. Immediately after release, according to rescuers, the animal seemed to orient itself in the correct direction. A few hours later, however, the GPS signal stopped transmitting. From there began weeks of uncertainty which ended with the discovery of the lifeless body. Meanwhile, the case had already sparked a very harsh conflict.
The International Whaling Commission had called the plan “inadvisable”, arguing that the animal was now seriously compromised. Some marine biologists had openly spoken of persistence, while others defended the choice to try every possibility to save a life.
Threats to rescuers and the risk of the carcass exploding
The story also had a huge media impact. Live streaming, continuous updates and crowds of onlookers have transformed Timmy into an emotional symbol followed by millions of people. During the rescue operations, some workers even received death threats, so much so that the constant police presence in the area was required. Now the Danish authorities have decided not to remove the carcass and not to carry out a necropsy, at least for the moment. However, the Environmental Protection Agency has issued a very clear warning to the population: the body could transmit diseases to humans and, above all, there is a risk of explosion due to the gases produced by the internal decomposition of the cetacean. Timmy’s death thus closes one of the most discussed environmental stories of recent months, which unfortunately ended in the worst possible way.
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