Whale spotted in Wismar: Eight-meter-long animal observed

Behavior and Size of the Animal

„Er taucht regelmäßig auf und wieder ab“, the ministry described the animal's behavior on Monday. The Water Protection Police are deployed. Operators of recreational boats and water sports enthusiasts have been asked to avoid contact with the animal and to keep the greatest possible distance. Off the Schleswig-Holstein coast as well as in the Kiel Fjord and the Flensburg Fjord, there had also been repeated sightings of large marine mammals in recent weeks.

The aim of the ongoing measures is to enable the animal to find a way back to deeper waters with as little disturbance as possible. „Ziel aller Maßnahmen ist es, dem Tier einen störungsarmen Rückweg in tiefere Gewässer zu ermöglichen und eine Strandung oder andere Gefährdungen des Tieres zu verhindern“, the ministry explained.

Goal: Undisturbed Return to Deeper Waters

The sighting is reminiscent of the case of the humpback whale "Timmy", who had first appeared in the harbor of Wismar in early March. At that time, a private initiative had rescued the whale in late April using a kind of barge and released it in the North Sea in early May. In a controversial operation, a private initiative had first rescued the whale, called "Timmy" by many people, in late April using a kind of barge and released it in the North Sea in early May.

The backstory of "Timmy" had attracted nationwide attention. Residents of Wismar had tracked the whereabouts of the humpback whale for weeks before specialists maneuvered it out of the harbor. The autopsy of the animal later provided new details about its condition. Read also: New details following autopsy of humpback whale "Timmy".

Reminder of Humpback Whale "Timmy"

Currently, the authorities assume that the new animal is a different whale. An exact determination of the species was still pending according to the ministry. Observations from recent weeks had also pointed to similar animals off Heiligenhafen, in the Kiel Fjord, and in the Flensburg Fjord. Sightings of individual animals along the Schleswig-Holstein coast and off Anholt had also been reported as whales.

The ministry asked people to give the area around the harbor a wide berth so that the animal would not be additionally disturbed. A comparison with earlier sightings, including the migrations of individual animals as far as the coasts of Denmark and Scotland, also plays a role in classifying the current observation.

Should the condition of the animal deteriorate or a stranding become apparent, the response teams intend to initiate further protective measures at short notice. According to: "Timmy": Whale spotted again in the harbor of Wismar. WISMAR. Observers were asked to report sightings directly to the Wismar Water Protection Police Inspection.