Timmy (whale)
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{{Short description|Humpback whale}} |
{{Short description|Humpback whale}} |
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{{bare URL|date=April 2026}} |
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{{Infobox animal |
{{Infobox animal |
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|image=Wal Timmy (90609) cropped.jpg |
|image=Wal Timmy (90609) cropped.jpg |
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== Animal == |
== Animal == |
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Timmy is an [[adult]] or [[subadult]] humpback whale (''Megaptera novaeangliae''). It is 12.35 meters long and its weight was estimated to be about 12 tons.https://www.stern.de/panorama/ostseekueste--experten-pruefen-rettung-des-wals-bei-wismar-mit-katamaran-37283252.html Adult humpback whales typically reach a length of 13 to 17 meters and a weight of up to 30–40 tons. Males tend to be slightly smaller than females. Timmy is likely a young bull (young male whale). His exact age is unknown, but based on his size and behavior, he is estimated to be a few years old. Humpback whales can live up to 90 years.{{Cite web |last=Zinin |first=Andrew |date=2026-03-31 |title=Stranded whale frees itself again off German coast |url=https://phys.org/news/2026-03-stranded-whale-frees-german-coast.html}}{{Cite web |date=2026-03-27 |title=Buckelwal größer als zunächst angenommen |url=https://www.spektrum.de/news/gestrandeter-meeresriese-buckelwal-groesser-als-angenommen/2316558 |website=Spektrum}} |
Timmy is an [[adult]] or [[subadult]] humpback whale (''Megaptera novaeangliae''). It is 12.35 meters long and its weight was estimated to be about 12 tons.{{Cite web|url=https://www.stern.de/panorama/ostseekueste--experten-pruefen-rettung-des-wals-bei-wismar-mit-katamaran-37283252.html|title=Experten prüfen Rettung des Wals bei Wismar mit Katamaran|date=April 6, 2026|website=stern.de}} Adult humpback whales typically reach a length of 13 to 17 meters and a weight of up to 30–40 tons. Males tend to be slightly smaller than females. Timmy is likely a young bull (young male whale). His exact age is unknown, but based on his size and behavior, he is estimated to be a few years old. Humpback whales can live up to 90 years.{{Cite web |last=Zinin |first=Andrew |date=2026-03-31 |title=Stranded whale frees itself again off German coast |url=https://phys.org/news/2026-03-stranded-whale-frees-german-coast.html}}{{Cite web |date=2026-03-27 |title=Buckelwal größer als zunächst angenommen |url=https://www.spektrum.de/news/gestrandeter-meeresriese-buckelwal-groesser-als-angenommen/2316558 |website=Spektrum}} |
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== History == |
== History == |
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[[File:Timmy Poel.mpg|thumb|Video of Timmy.]] |
[[File:Timmy Poel.mpg|thumb|Video of Timmy.]] |
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The whale likely entered the Baltic Sea via the [[North Atlantic]] in early 2026. The exact time frame is unknown. The animal entered the Baltic Sea from the [[North Sea]], passing through the [[Skagerrak]] and [[Kattegat]] straits. It is not known why the animal chose this route. Humpback whales are rare in the Baltic Sea, and cannot physically tolerate extended stays due to the low salinity of the Baltic. Researchers suspect that the whale could have been pursuing a herring run,https://tierschutzbund-sh.de/aktuelles-details/die-causa-timmy.html and may have been disturbed by ships. The Baltic only has a narrow outlet to the North Sea, and is therefore difficult to escape once entered. |
The whale likely entered the Baltic Sea via the [[North Atlantic]] in early 2026. The exact time frame is unknown. The animal entered the Baltic Sea from the [[North Sea]], passing through the [[Skagerrak]] and [[Kattegat]] straits. It is not known why the animal chose this route. Humpback whales are rare in the Baltic Sea, and cannot physically tolerate extended stays due to the low salinity of the Baltic. Researchers suspect that the whale could have been pursuing a herring run,{{Cite web|url=https://tierschutzbund-sh.de/aktuelles-details/die-causa-timmy.html|title=Die Causa „Timmy“|date=April 2, 2026|website=Landesverband Schleswig-Holstein - Deutscher Tierschutzbund}} and may have been disturbed by ships. The Baltic only has a narrow outlet to the North Sea, and is therefore difficult to escape once entered. |
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The whale was first spotted on March 3, 2026, in the area around [[Wismar]]. It was swimming very close to the coast, which is highly unusual for this species. In the days that followed, up until March 9, it was seen with increasing frequency, including in the port of Wismar and in [[Lübeck Bay]]. It was clear that it had become entangled in [[fishing net]]s. [[Sea Shepherd Conservation Society|Sea Shepherd]] and the fire department then began attempts to free it from the nets.{{Cite web |title=Wo der befreite Wal zuvor schon aufgetaucht ist - WELT |url=https://www.welt.de/newsticker/dpa_nt/infoline_nt/panorama_nt/article69c669367d0aa39fc3a19e5f/wo-der-befreite-wal-zuvor-schon-aufgetaucht-ist.html |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=[[Die Welt]] |language=de}}{{Cite news |last=Grieshaber |first=Kirsten |last2=Zinin |first2=Andrew |date=2026-03-29 |title=A stranded whale in Germany's Baltic Sea weakens as hopes of its return to the Atlantic fade |url=https://phys.org/news/2026-03-stranded-whale-germany-baltic-sea.html |publisher=[[Phys.org]] |language=en}} |
The whale was first spotted on March 3, 2026, in the area around [[Wismar]]. It was swimming very close to the coast, which is highly unusual for this species. In the days that followed, up until March 9, it was seen with increasing frequency, including in the port of Wismar and in [[Lübeck Bay]]. It was clear that it had become entangled in [[fishing net]]s. [[Sea Shepherd Conservation Society|Sea Shepherd]] and the fire department then began attempts to free it from the nets.{{Cite web |title=Wo der befreite Wal zuvor schon aufgetaucht ist - WELT |url=https://www.welt.de/newsticker/dpa_nt/infoline_nt/panorama_nt/article69c669367d0aa39fc3a19e5f/wo-der-befreite-wal-zuvor-schon-aufgetaucht-ist.html |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=[[Die Welt]] |language=de}}{{Cite news |last=Grieshaber |first=Kirsten |last2=Zinin |first2=Andrew |date=2026-03-29 |title=A stranded whale in Germany's Baltic Sea weakens as hopes of its return to the Atlantic fade |url=https://phys.org/news/2026-03-stranded-whale-germany-baltic-sea.html |publisher=[[Phys.org]] |language=en}} |
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During the night of March 31, the whale dove underwater and was initially out of sight. The water police had to stop tracking the whale because it was no longer visible. In the morning, it was spotted again in Wismar Bay off the coast of Wismar, swimming freely and appearing very active. Later that day, however, it beached himself again in shallow water in front of a bay near the island of [[Poel]]. Experts from the [[Ocean Museum Germany]] in [[Stralsund]], [[Greenpeace]], and the water police arrived on site to assess the whale. The skin condition had deteriorated significantly, and it appeared weakened.{{Cite web |last=MOULSON |first=GEIR |title=Whale stranded in the Baltic Sea swims free again. It still faces a tough task |url=https://abcnews.com/International/wireStory/whale-stranded-baltic-sea-swims-free-faces-tough-131566680 |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=ABC News |language=en}} |
During the night of March 31, the whale dove underwater and was initially out of sight. The water police had to stop tracking the whale because it was no longer visible. In the morning, it was spotted again in Wismar Bay off the coast of Wismar, swimming freely and appearing very active. Later that day, however, it beached himself again in shallow water in front of a bay near the island of [[Poel]]. Experts from the [[Ocean Museum Germany]] in [[Stralsund]], [[Greenpeace]], and the water police arrived on site to assess the whale. The skin condition had deteriorated significantly, and it appeared weakened.{{Cite web |last=MOULSON |first=GEIR |title=Whale stranded in the Baltic Sea swims free again. It still faces a tough task |url=https://abcnews.com/International/wireStory/whale-stranded-baltic-sea-swims-free-faces-tough-131566680 |access-date=2026-03-31 |website=ABC News |language=en}} |
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On April 14, 2026, a [[Beluga whale]] was sighted in [[Flensburg]], who got also attention.https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/schleswig-holstein/flensburg_nordfriesland_schleswig-flensburg/belugawal-weisswal-in-der-flensburger-foerde-eigentlich-vor-groenland-unterwegs,belugawal-104.html |
On April 14, 2026, a [[Beluga whale]] was sighted in [[Flensburg]], who got also attention.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/schleswig-holstein/flensburg_nordfriesland_schleswig-flensburg/belugawal-weisswal-in-der-flensburger-foerde-eigentlich-vor-groenland-unterwegs,belugawal-104.html|title=Belugawal in der Flensburger Förde unterwegs? Was zum angeblichen Besuch bisher bekannt ist|website=ndr.de}} |
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== Reactions == |
== Reactions == |
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