Rescuers are continuing to try and save a stranded humpback whale off Germany's north coast. The marine mammal, which is stuck on a sandbank, was first spotted in Lübeck Bay on Monday. Diggers have been deployed to dredge a channel back into deeper waters.
Characterised as a race against time, the rescue mission's attracting huge interest, with live coverage being broadcast from Timmendorfer Strand, a seaside town in Schleswig-Holstein. The whale, which is estimated to be between 12 to 15 meters long and weigh around 15 tons, is believed to have become entangled in a fishing net prior to stranding, with rope still reported to be stuck in its mouth.
Experts suspect this might be a young male whale that accidentally wandered into shallow waters, though speculation remains about the exact reasons behind its stranding. Currently, the chances of successful rescue are bleak, but rescuers remain determined. Stephanie Gross from the Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research expressed concern for the whale, noting it has been in shallow waters for three days and is not feeding.
Conditions along the shoreline are challenging, with cold easterly winds complicating rescue efforts. Marine biologist Robert Marc Lehmann mentioned the whale exhibits signs of distress but remains responsive. Multiple recovery tactics involving high tides and boat waves have yet to yield success, raising the urgency of the situation. A[n intensive effort to create a deeper channel or assist the whale directly is now underway, with hopes of coaxing it back to safety.
Characterised as a race against time, the rescue mission's attracting huge interest, with live coverage being broadcast from Timmendorfer Strand, a seaside town in Schleswig-Holstein. The whale, which is estimated to be between 12 to 15 meters long and weigh around 15 tons, is believed to have become entangled in a fishing net prior to stranding, with rope still reported to be stuck in its mouth.
Experts suspect this might be a young male whale that accidentally wandered into shallow waters, though speculation remains about the exact reasons behind its stranding. Currently, the chances of successful rescue are bleak, but rescuers remain determined. Stephanie Gross from the Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research expressed concern for the whale, noting it has been in shallow waters for three days and is not feeding.
Conditions along the shoreline are challenging, with cold easterly winds complicating rescue efforts. Marine biologist Robert Marc Lehmann mentioned the whale exhibits signs of distress but remains responsive. Multiple recovery tactics involving high tides and boat waves have yet to yield success, raising the urgency of the situation. A[n intensive effort to create a deeper channel or assist the whale directly is now underway, with hopes of coaxing it back to safety.
