Summary of this article
German officials have greenlit a millionaire-backed rescue of "Timmy," a young humpback whale stranded off the Baltic coast for weeks.
The 12-ton whale will be guided through a dredged channel onto a barge and towed to the North Sea.
Environmental groups warn of more suffering, but vets say Timmy is healthy enough for transport.
After weeks of failed attempts, a privately funded rescue mission to save a stranded humpback whale off Germany’s Baltic coast has been approved.
The young whale, nicknamed “Timmy” by local media, has run aground five times in the shallow waters of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The approximately five-to-six-year-old mammal weighs nearly 12 tons and measures 13 meters (40 feet) in length.
Environment Minister Till Backhaus announced that the regional government has authorized the operation, which is backed financially by two entrepreneurs. The plan involves guiding Timmy through a dredged channel using straps, leading him onto a transport barge that will tow him toward the North Sea.
Although environmental groups and marine experts have raised concerns that the rescue could inflict further suffering, Backhaus stated that veterinarians working with the initiative have confirmed the whale is healthy enough to be transported.
The rescue attempt is set to proceed despite the risks, marking one of the most ambitious animal salvage efforts in recent German history.
