Timmy, Germany's Humpback Whale, Likely Lived for Only 5 Days after Rescue Effort

The humpback whale that captivated Germany for months likely lived only about five days after its final, controversial rescue attempt failed to guide it back to the Atlantic Ocean. Officials announced Friday that the whale, affectionately nicknamed "Timmy" and "Hope" by German media, was found dead on May 14. It had stranded near the small island of Anholt, located in the Kattegat strait between Denmark and Sweden. This discovery concluded a months-long, spectacular, and contentious rescue effort, which saw the mammal transported toward the North Sea on a barge in the last attempt on May 2. Scientists, government officials, the public, and a private initiative had debated whether it was more humane to let the weakened animal die naturally or to continue rescue operations. Data from a tracking transmitter attached to the whale's dorsal fin indicates its death likely occurred on May 6 or 7, according to Till Backhaus, the environment minister for the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Over those five days, the whale swam roughly 215 kilometers (134 miles) and was heading back toward the Baltic Sea, which is the wrong direction for reaching the Atlantic Ocean. Backhaus stated Friday during a news conference that the data suggests the whale likely drifted aimlessly afterward, or the transmitter signal was lost. Timmy was first spotted off the German coast on March 3, sparking a media frenzy. It remains unclear why the whale swam into the Baltic Sea, a habitat unsuitable for it. Some experts suggested it might have lost its way while chasing herring or during migration, The Associated Press reported. An autopsy of the carcass has not yet determined the cause of death, Backhaus said. However, officials confirmed that "Timmy" was a female whale, contrary to earlier assumptions. The minister noted that no serious injuries were discovered during the autopsy, nor was there any indication of violence or objects that could have caused its death. "Did it have any nets or other foreign objects on its body, in its mouth or on its body? Nothing was found," Backhaus said. Some of the remains will be processed into biodiesel in Denmark, while some bones will be sent to a Danish museum.

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Did it have any nets or other foreign objects on its body, in its mouth or on its body? Nothing was found.