Despite 2.3 Billion-Won Rescue Operation, Whale 'Timmy' Dies... Controversy Over Photos Taken on Carcass

Danish Authorities Confirm Identity Using Tracking Device

Warning Issued Against Approaching After "Proof Shot" Photos Taken on Carcass

It has been confirmed that "Timmy," the humpback whale that was trapped in the shallow waters off the northern coast of Germany in the Baltic Sea and was released into the North Sea after a large-scale rescue operation, has ultimately died. In the wake of Timmy's rescue and death, controversy has arisen. On May 20, Yonhap News TV reported that there is ongoing debate after someone was seen taking a "proof shot" on top of Timmy's carcass, which had recently been found dead.

After the news of Timmy's death, another controversy arose. German media outlets such as Frankfurter Rundschau, citing reports from Bild, reported that some onlookers were captured climbing on Timmy's corpse off the coast of Anholt Island in Denmark to take photos. SNS

Previously, Timmy's carcass was discovered near Anholt Island in the Kattegat Strait between Denmark and Sweden. According to foreign media outlets such as the Associated Press, this location is about 70 kilometers south of the waters near Skagen, Denmark's northernmost point, where Timmy was released on the 2nd. The exact cause of death has not yet been determined, and Danish authorities have stated that there are currently no plans to collect or perform an autopsy on the carcass.

Timmy was first sighted off the Baltic coast of Germany in early March, and by late March had been stranded several times in shallow waters and around sandbanks near Timmendorfer Beach. The German media named the humpback whale "Timmy" after the location, and in some instances, it was also referred to as "Hope." It remains unclear why the whale left its Atlantic habitat and entered the Baltic Sea, but some experts have suggested that it may have followed a school of prey or lost its way during migration.

The rescue process attracted attention across Germany. After several failed rescue attempts, German authorities once judged the possibility of rescue to be low. AP Yonhap News

The rescue process attracted attention across Germany. After several failed rescue attempts, German authorities at one point judged that the chances of a successful rescue were low. However, when private donors expressed willingness to cover the costs, efforts were made to transport Timmy on a water-filled barge to deeper waters. The Guardian reported that the cost of this rescue operation was estimated at about 1.5 million euros, or approximately 2.3 billion won.

However, controversy also surrounded the rescue operation. The International Whaling Commission and German marine experts expressed concerns that Timmy was already in a weakened state, and that the additional rescue effort itself could cause severe stress. The German Stralsund Maritime Museum pointed out that Timmy showed signs of skin damage and debilitation after staying for an extended period in the low-salinity Baltic Sea, and that part of a net appeared to be caught around its mouth.

After the news of Timmy's death, another controversy arose. German media outlets, including Frankfurter Rundschau, citing reports from Bild, reported that some spectators were seen climbing onto Timmy's carcass in the sea off the coast of Denmark's Anholt Island to take photos. It was reported that they were stopped on site by the coast guard or relevant authorities.

There was also significant controversy surrounding the rescue operation. Concerns were raised between the International Whaling Commission and German marine experts that Timmy was already in a weakened state, and that the additional rescue efforts could cause extreme stress. Photo by AP Yonhap News.

Danish authorities issued a strong warning to citizens not to approach the whale carcass. This is because decaying whale carcasses may pose a risk of disease transmission and there is a danger of accumulated decomposition gases inside the body exploding. While local authorities do not consider the carcass to be causing major problems in the surrounding area at present, they have nevertheless urged people to maintain a safe distance for safety reasons.

Timmy's death has raised questions about the limitations of wildlife rescue efforts. Till Backhaus, Minister of the Environment for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, defended the rescue attempt as a "last chance," but some experts continue to criticize that the rescue may have been excessive, carried out under public attention and pressure despite the whale's frail condition.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.