Germany's First Whale Rescue: Hope or Cruelty?

0:00On April 29th, a young humpback whale named Timmy or Hope has been stuck on a sandbank in the shallow Baltic Sea of Germany for over one month now. This 10 meter long creature got stranded, kept beaching itself, and its health took a nose dive. Rescueers loaded it onto a barge Tuesday and tugged it toward deeper North Sea waters by Wednesday, crossing into Danish territory. The move sparked a national frenzy in Germany, with folks glued to every update. Officers helped get the whale afloat, and it's now got a tracking device plus a vet team shadowing the barge. But the clock's ticking as the animal rest, having made some vocal sounds Tuesday night. Local environment minister Till backhouse calls it a groundbreaking success. The first rescue like this in Germany, and says they'd release it if it's healthy. Crowds of media are hyped, turning the whale into a symbol of our messy bond with ocean giants. Experts aim by in the optimism though. The International Whaling Commission's Stranding's panel labels the whole effort inadvisable,

1:01saying the whale looks severely cyclothargic, covered, and blisters, with fishing net still tangled in its mouth. Oceanographic museum folks in Straussund degree, calling further tries straight up animal cruelty since survival eyes are slim. They're tracking it close, and if it doesn't make it, plans are set for equitnecropsy and safe body recovery to learn from this saga and respect. The whale's final journey.