A barge carrying the juvenile humpback whale known as ‘Timmy’ entered Danish waters on Wednesday as crews continue the delicate effort to return him to the open ocean. The specially converted, water-filled freight barge was being towed by a tug between the Danish islands of Samsø and Sjælland at about 2 a.m. German time (0000 GMT), according to Vessel Finder tracking data.
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania environment minister Till Backhaus said authorities hope the tow will reach the North Sea by Friday if conditions remain favorable, adding that ‘the very worst is already behind him now.’ Backhaus reported that the whale was ‘doing well’ and had made sounds overnight.
Rescue teams earlier coaxed the humpback — nicknamed ‘Timmy’ by German media and estimated to be four to six years old — out of shallow water off the island of Poel. They guided him into a specially dredged channel and onto the barge using straps after inflatable cushions and pontoons proved ineffective. The barge hold has been filled with water so the animal remains submerged and supported during the tow.
Timmy was first spotted near Germany’s Baltic coast on March 3, far from his usual Atlantic range, and his health deteriorated after repeated strandings in shallow water. The unusual and ambitious operation has prompted debate among scientists and conservationists about whether towing the compromised whale is the right choice.
Greenpeace marine biologist Thilo Maack told the Associated Press he believed the animal was ‘really, really very, very, very sick’ and warned the journey could be too stressful, even predicting the whale might not survive. The International Whaling Commission also described the rescue as ‘inadvisable,’ saying Timmy appeared severely compromised and unlikely to recover.
The privately financed rescue has backing from two German multimillionaires. Supporters argue the intervention offers Timmy his best chance of reaching open water, while critics say it risks prolonging suffering for an animal in poor condition.
Authorities and the rescue team are monitoring the tow closely as they aim to release the whale to the North Sea within days. Edited by: Zac Crellin