Dead humpback whale 'Timmy' confirmed off Denmark after controversial rescue

Given that the whale was a similar humpback, found close to where it was released, the chances it was 'Timmy' seemed very high from the outset Image: Marcus Golejewski/dpa/picture alliance

Divers have confirmed that the deceased humpback whale spotted off the Danish coast is the creature nicknamed "Timmy," which spent more than a month stranded off the northern German coastline in the Baltic Sea.

Denmark's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirmed the news on Saturday.

The likelihood that the whale was the stricken humpback — severely ailing by the time it was towed from the German coastline — already seemed high. Animal protection groups had warned that the whale's long-term survival chances were slim.

How Did Danish Authorities Confirm It Was Timmy?

An initial examination on Friday had not been able to spot a tracking device attached to "Timmy" by rescuers, due to the dead whale's position in the water.

But on Saturday, divers were able to take a picture of the animal's dorsal fin.

"Conditions today made it possible for a local employee from the Danish Nature Agency to locate and retrieve an attached tracking device that was still fastened to the whale's back. The position and appearance of the device confirm that this is the same whale that had previously been observed and handled in German waters."

>

— Jane Hansen, division head, Danish Environmental Protection Agency, in a statement to AFP

Danish authorities said there are currently no plans to remove the carcass.

What Happened to Timmy?

• The 12-meter (39-foot) whale, dubbed "Timmy" by the German press, initially became stranded on a sandbank on Germany's Baltic Sea coast on March 23.
• After several failed rescue attempts in Wismar Bay — including digging channels and trying to guide it back to deeper water — authorities announced they were giving up.
• Two entrepreneurs, Karin Walter-Mommert and Walter Gunz, stepped in to finance a private rescue. Their operation attracted criticism from some marine experts, who said it was unlikely to succeed and would cause the severely weakened whale more distress.

A much-vaunted private barge rescue attempt at the end of April was considered a long shot from the outset, given the whale's ailing condition [FILE: April 28, 2026] Image: Schwarck/NonstopNews/REUTERS

• The animal was placed into a water-filled barge and towed to the North Sea, where it was released on May 2.
• A whale carcass was then spotted off Denmark's Anholt island on May 14.

The case has received national media coverage in Germany, where it captivated the public for weeks.

The Danish Environmental Protection Agency said that while it understands "the considerable public interest in this particular whale," people should keep a safe distance and refrain from approaching it.

"This is because the whale may carry diseases that can also be transmitted to humans, and there may also be a risk of explosion," as decomposition creates large volumes of gases.

How Have German Authorities Reacted?

The environment minister of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Till Backhaus, thanked Danish authorities for their assistance in identifying the whale.

He also defended his decision to allow the private rescue attempt, despite advice to the contrary from some of his state's expert marine life groups. Backhaus said it was sad that the whale had not been able to "seize its slim chance" at survival.

"I consider it completely human to make use of even the slimmest of chances, when a life is at stake. Whoever wishes to criticize that may do so."

>

— Till Backhaus, who had previously boasted that the controversial rescue mission had "saved" the creature

He added: "It was always about weighing the balance between which option was the worst: Waiting for the certain death of the animal as it suffered, or giving him a last chance and exposing him to potential stress in the process."