A humpback whale that was discovered dead near a Danish island this week has been confirmed to be the same whale that was rescued two weeks ago after getting stranded multiple times off the Baltic Sea coast of Germany. The deceased whale washed ashore on Thursday near Anholt in the Kattegat strait, south of where it was released on May 2 after being transported on a barge to the North Sea from Skagen in Denmark.
“The stranded humpback whale near Anholt is indeed the same whale that was previously stranded in Germany and was subject to rescue efforts,” stated Jane Hansen from the Danish Environmental Protection Agency. A tracking device still attached to the whale’s back was retrieved by a Danish Nature Agency employee on Saturday, confirming the whale’s identity based on the device’s location and appearance.
The whale’s journey ended tragically after weeks of attempts to guide it back to the Atlantic Ocean. Initially sighted off the German coast on March 3, it wandered into the Baltic Sea, possibly disoriented while chasing herring or during migration. Despite a rescue in late March in Timmendorfer Strand, the whale continued to struggle, drawing attention through live streams and news coverage.
Efforts to save the deteriorating whale sparked controversy, with debates on the best course of action involving private rescuers, authorities, and activists. Despite concerns about causing the animal more stress, a private initiative in Germany managed to place the whale on a barge. However, the cause of the whale’s death remains unclear.
Till Backhaus, the environment minister in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, mentioned that while the rescue attempt provided a final opportunity for the whale to regain freedom and health, it was unsuccessful. Authorities are yet to decide on the next steps regarding the deceased whale, emphasizing the importance of caution due to potential health risks it may pose. Conservationists highlight the impact of disrupted migration patterns and human activities on whale strandings worldwide.