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Rescuers Race to Save Stranded Humpback on Germany’s Baltic Coast

Experts warn towing at sea could cause fatal injuries to the whale.

The stranded whale was said to be weak, with its health deteriorating, according to conservationists

Overview

  • The 10-meter whale, first seen Monday near Timmendorfer Strand by Niendorf, remains stuck after high tide and repeated rescue attempts.
  • Teams used police and coastguard boats to create waves and briefly turned the animal toward deeper water, but it moved back and could not refloat.
  • Crews cut away parts of a fishing net wrapped around the whale, and police fenced off the beach to keep crowds from adding stress.
  • Specialists tested a suction dredger to start a trench, which they halted when the sand proved too compact, and they are weighing other low-risk options.
  • Conservationists report the whale is alive but weakening, possibly a young male previously seen near Wismar, with skin problems likely linked to the Baltic’s low salinity.