Overview
- The humpback, which officials said Saturday breathes every four to five minutes, remains grounded in shallow water off the island of Poel after weeks of repeated strandings.
- Authorities ended active rescue attempts on Wednesday and set a 500‑meter safety zone to cut noise and keep boats and crowds away.
- Teams now focus on easing suffering with sprinkler cooling of the whale’s exposed back, and police and state staff keep a round‑the‑clock watch.
- A new inspection found external wounds likely from ship propellers and marks consistent with a net, according to state environment minister Till Backhaus.
- Specialists will reassess the animal after the Easter holidays, while agencies and the German Oceanographic Museum prepare for a necropsy and carcass recovery if it dies.