Overview
- An expert panel that met Tuesday said the roughly 12‑ton humpback cannot be transported alive, ending consideration of a Danish catamaran lift.
- Veterinarians reported the whale no longer reacts to approach, its skin injuries have worsened, and organ damage is likely from days pinned in shallow water.
- Scientists said lifting straps or tow lines would tear the animal’s skin and extreme stress could kill it, and they also ruled out euthanasia as unworkable for a whale this size.
- Authorities keep a 500‑meter exclusion zone and maintain round‑the‑clock care with water spray, while testing bay water to check salinity and any public‑health risks and planning a post‑mortem examination that could include preserving the skeleton.
- Researchers say the Baltic’s lower salt content strains oceanic whales by damaging skin and disrupting fluid balance, and the state minister has proposed a new coordination role with other coastal regions to handle future strandings.