ANHOLT, Denmark — Officials in Denmark have pulled the remains of a humpback whale onto shore after the animal’s body spent two weeks floating in shallow coastal waters following its death.
The marine mammal had become a media sensation across Germany, earning the affectionate names “Timmy” and “Hope” as news organizations provided continuous coverage of its condition after it was initially discovered near the German coastline on March 3.
Authorities discovered the whale’s body on May 14, washed up near the tiny island of Anholt in the Kattegat strait, which runs between Denmark and Sweden and links the Baltic Sea with the North Sea.
The animal’s death brought to a close several months of dramatic and sometimes controversial rescue attempts, which reached their peak on May 2 when crews loaded the whale onto a barge and attempted to transport it toward the North Sea, hoping to guide it back to its natural Atlantic Ocean environment.
Officials with the Danish Environmental Protection Agency say they plan to conduct an examination of the remains in the coming week to identify what caused the whale’s death.
On Saturday, the Danish media outlet “News5” broadcast live footage showing the carcass being pulled up onto the beach using cables connected to a truck positioned on shore.
Marine biologists remain uncertain about why the whale entered the Baltic Sea waters, which are located far from its typical living area and provide unsuitable conditions for the species. Some specialists have suggested the animal may have become disoriented while pursuing a school of herring or during its seasonal migration journey.
