Rescuers are continuing to try and save a stranded humpback whale off Germany's north coast. The marine mammal, which is stuck on a sandbank, was first spotted in Lübeck Bay on Monday.
Diggers have been deployed to dredge a channel back into deeper waters. Characterised as a race against time, the rescue mission is attracting huge interest and is even being livestreamed from Timmendorfer Strand, a seaside town in Schleswig-Holstein.
Estimated at being 12 to 15 metres long and weighing approximately 15 tons, it's thought that the whale may have previously become entangled in a fishing net, with rope still trapped in its mouth. Experts believe it is a young male that may have accidentally wandered into shallow waters.
According to reports, other speculation suggests that the whale might be seeking a final resting place, although the exact reasons for the stranding remain unclear. There are warnings that the chances of rescuing the whale are slim, but rescuers remain determined to help.
For the whale, this is obviously a stressful situation, said Stephanie Gross from the Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research. He's been here in the shallow water for three days now and isn't feeding at all at the moment, although she added that whales can go without food for weeks.
Conditions at the shore are challenging owing to an icy easterly wind. The whale's weight and lack of condition present additional challenges. Divers have entered the waters to assess the situation up close.
Marine biologist Robert Marc Lehmann described how the whale's skin looks terrible but noted it is responsive, reacting, vocalizing, and exhibiting some signs of awareness. Efforts to assist the whale include utilizing high tides and waves created by boats, which have yet to yield results.
I hope the channel is deep enough that material will slide down and motivate the whale to swim in. If not, he may need a little nudge, Lehmann told NDR.
