Stranded whale rescued in Germany found dead in Denmark

"It can now be confirmed that the stranded humpback whale near Anholt is the same whale that was previously stranded in Germany and was the subject of rescue attempts. Jane Hansen, division head at the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, said in a statement to AFP."

"The whale, dubbed "Timmy" in German media, was initially spotted stuck on a sandbank on March 23. After several failed attempts it was finally put in a barge and released into the North Sea off Denmark on May 2. The whale carcass was first spotted off the coast of the Danish island Anholt in the Kattegat strait between Sweden and Denmark on Thursday but authorities were at first unable to confirm it was the same whale."

"Conditions today made it possible for a local employee from the Danish Nature Agency to locate and retrieve an attached tracking device that was still fastened to the whale's back. Hansen said. The position and appearance of the device confirm that this is the same whale that had previously been observed and handled in German waters."

"The Danish Environmental Protection Agency said that while it understood "the considerable public interest in this particular whale," people should keep a safe distance and refrain from approaching the whale. This is because the whale may carry diseases that can also be transmitted to humans, and there may also be a risk of explosion, as decomposition creates large volumes of gases."

A humpback whale that had been stranded in Germany and rescued was later found dead near the Danish island of Anholt. The whale was first spotted stuck on a sandbank on March 23, and after several failed attempts it was moved in a barge and released into the North Sea off Denmark on May 2. Its carcass was spotted near Anholt in the Kattegat strait between Sweden and Denmark on Thursday, and authorities initially could not confirm it was the same animal. A Danish Nature Agency employee retrieved an attached tracking device, and its position and appearance confirmed the identity. Officials said there were no concrete plans to remove the whale or perform a necropsy, and they advised the public to keep a safe distance due to disease transmission risk and possible explosion from decomposition gases.

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