DNA Samples Cast Doubt on Whether Dead Humpback Whale is 'Timmy'

A DNA analysis has raised doubts about whether the dead humpback whale found on the Danish island of Anholt in mid-May is the same whale known as 'Timmy,' which previously stranded off Poel in the Baltic Sea. Two tissue samples—one taken during tracker attachment and another from the carcass—reportedly do not match, according to Bild. However, several pieces of evidence contradict this result: the tracker was found on the carcass, its position data pointed to Anholt, and the dead animal had injuries previously identified on Timmy. Whale researcher Fabian Ritter confirmed the identity through tail fin photo comparison. Confusion arose because the Anholt whale was female, while Timmy was considered male. The findings will be presented at a press conference in Hamburg, though Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's Environment Minister and the German Oceanographic Museum plan not to attend.