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's 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 15 tons in weight, experts believe the whale could have previously become entangled in a fishing net, with rope reportedly still stuck in its mouth. It's thought to be a young male that may have accidentally wandered into shallow waters. NDR speculates that he might be seeking a final resting place, although the exact reasons for the stranding remain unknown.
Warnings indicate that the chances of saving him are very slim, yet rescuers are determined not to give up. Stephanie Gross from the Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research noted the stress the situation poses for the whale, which has not fed for three days, although animals can survive without food for weeks. The harsh conditions at the shoreline, compounded by an icy easterly wind, add further challenges to the rescue operation.
Marine biologist Robert Marc Lehmann reported that the whale's skin looks terrible but that it is still responsive. Despite efforts to encourage the whale to swim out using high tide and creating large waves, those have so far failed. He expressed hope that the dredged channel would motivate the whale to swim away or that a gentle nudge might be necessary to get it moving.
Diggers have been deployed to dredge a channel back into deeper waters. Characterised as a race against time, the rescue mission's 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 15 tons in weight, experts believe the whale could have previously become entangled in a fishing net, with rope reportedly still stuck in its mouth. It's thought to be a young male that may have accidentally wandered into shallow waters. NDR speculates that he might be seeking a final resting place, although the exact reasons for the stranding remain unknown.
Warnings indicate that the chances of saving him are very slim, yet rescuers are determined not to give up. Stephanie Gross from the Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research noted the stress the situation poses for the whale, which has not fed for three days, although animals can survive without food for weeks. The harsh conditions at the shoreline, compounded by an icy easterly wind, add further challenges to the rescue operation.
Marine biologist Robert Marc Lehmann reported that the whale's skin looks terrible but that it is still responsive. Despite efforts to encourage the whale to swim out using high tide and creating large waves, those have so far failed. He expressed hope that the dredged channel would motivate the whale to swim away or that a gentle nudge might be necessary to get it moving.
