German Environment Minister to host thank-you barbecue for volunteers who rescued stranded humpback whale

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's Environment Minister Till Backhaus (SPD, r.) in whale rescue operation. Source: Jens Büttner/dpa

Many volunteers worked behind the scenes to rescue the humpback whale stranded in the Baltic Sea. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's Environment Minister Till Backhaus now wants to honor their efforts — even though the animal ultimately died.

For days in April, helpers fought for the life of the stranded humpback whale in the shallow Kirchsee Bay off the Baltic Sea island of Poel near Wismar. The effort was ultimately unsuccessful, as the animal died a few days after its transport to the North Sea. Now, Backhaus (SPD) plans to thank the volunteers involved in the operation with a celebration.

Thank-You Event on Poel

A joint barbecue is scheduled on the island of Poel on Saturday. Backhaus will also present certificates of honor, according to a ministry spokesperson. Invited guests include helpers from organizations such as the DLRG (German Life Rescue Association) and the volunteer fire department — around 50 attendees are expected.

Mayor Sends Apologies

According to NDR, the minister writes in his invitation that they succeeded together in "escorting the whale stranded in Kirchdorf on its way to its home waters." The Ostsee-Zeitung also reported on the thank-you celebration, which the ministry describes as a non-public event and therefore not included in the state government's weekly activity list.

The mayor of the island of Poel, Florian Lechner, is also invited, as the municipality announced. However, a staff member said he sends his apologies due to scheduling conflicts.

Background of the Rescue Operation

A private initiative led by Media Markt founder Walter Gunz and entrepreneur Karin Walter-Mommert maneuvered the marine mammal — nicknamed "Timmy" — which had stranded multiple times on the German Baltic coast, into a flooded barge off Poel and brought it to the North Sea. The operation was highly controversial; scientists had advised against it and assessed the animal's chances of survival as very low.

A few days after its release north of Skagen, the whale died. On May 14, the carcass was discovered off the Danish Baltic island of Anholt. According to Backhaus, data from a tracker attached to the animal showed it had traveled approximately 215 kilometers further after release.

Read also:

• Panorama: Denmark humpback whale autopsy completed — Experts find parasites but no clear cause of death
• Opinion: The whale and the wolf — "Timmy," the wolf, and the kitsch of city dwellers

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