DNA Analysis Raises Doubts Whether Dead Humpback Whale Is 'Timmy'

A DNA analysis reported by German tabloid Bild has cast doubt on whether the humpback whale carcass found on the Danish island of Anholt in mid-May is the same whale known as 'Timmy,' which had previously stranded off Poel in the Baltic Sea. According to Bild, two tissue samples—one taken during tracker attachment and another from the carcass—do not match, suggesting they come from different animals. However, several pieces of evidence contradict this finding: the tracker attached to Timmy was found on the Anholt carcass, position data confirmed the location, and the dead whale had injuries previously identified on Timmy. Whale researcher Fabian Ritter also confirmed a tail fin photo match. Confusion arose because the Anholt whale was female, while Timmy was thought to be male. The analysis results are to be presented at a press conference in Hamburg, though Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's Environment Minister and the German Oceanographic Museum will not attend. The quality of the DNA analysis is reportedly 99% accurate, but lack of independent witnesses for sample collection raises questions.