Stranded whale in Germany shows movement for first time since March 31 — media

BERLIN:A humpback whale stranded on Germany’s Baltic coast reacted to the approach of people on Friday by releasing water spouts and slightl...

BERLIN:A humpback whale stranded on Germany’s Baltic coast reacted to the approach of people on Friday by releasing water spouts and slightly moving for the first time since March 31, German Press Agency DPA reported.

Volunteers continued efforts on Friday to prepare the whale for a possible lifting onto a floating platform and towing to open waters. The operation may begin no earlier than Saturday. As part of the preparations, a diver approached the whale on Friday morning, prompting the animal to react with sudden tail movements, turning almost 90 degrees. The whale also released several water spouts.

The diver and other participants in the operation moved away from the whale. The animal soon calmed down and is now again lying motionless in the shallows, the agency said.

The whale, nicknamed Timmy, has been stuck in shallow waters north of the city of Wismar in the federal state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania for more than two weeks. It is barely moving but continues to breathe. Despite a consensus among experts that the animal is unlikely to survive, authorities have allowed volunteers to make another attempt to rescue it, with preparations beginning on Thursday.

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