Humpback Whale Grounds Again in Baltic as Water Levels Fall

Overview

• The whale stranded again near the island of Poel in the shallow Kirchsee, where falling water levels are expected to make self‑release harder.
• The animal had managed to swim free earlier after rescuers paused activity to let it rest and ride a high tide toward open water.
• Rescuers and officials describe the whale as weak and disoriented, with damaged skin and a piece of fishing net still lodged in its mouth.
• Teams cannot attach a satellite tag because the skin is in poor condition, so monitoring relies on patrol boats and public sighting reports.
• Earlier operations used dredging to cut a channel, police boats to secure the area, and inflatable craft from NGOs to steer it away from sandbars.