A veterinarian has raised concerns about the rescue operation of Timmy, the humpback whale stranded off Germany’s coast.
Kirsten Tönnies said that she is worried about how the situation was being handled.
Timmy is a young humpback whale who was first spotted in late March in shallow waters off Germany’s Baltic coast. The animal became stranded several times on sandbanks and showed signs of distress, possibly because it was sick or disoriented.
After weeks of debate, a rescue team moved the whale onto a water-filled barge and transported him through the Baltic Sea towards the North Sea.
He was released there on Saturday after several days of travel, but his condition remains uncertain.
In a video shared by Tönnies on Saturday, people can be seen trying to place a rope around Timmy’s fluke. A small boat is also very close to the whale while he is still positioned at the back of the barge.
The images raise concerns about possible stress for the animal and the level of control during this part of the operation.
The whale was scared
According to Tönnies, some people on a boat went close to the barge where Timmy was being kept, even though they were not part of the veterinary team.
She said the group told her they only wanted to check if the whale was still there. However, they stayed near the barge for a longer time. She warned that this could cause stress or fear for the animal.
The veterinarian also criticised the lack of supervision. She said there was no official veterinarian present at that moment. According to her, other veterinarians were not allowed to join the operation.
She expressed frustration that decisions were being made without enough expert oversight. “They are doing what they want with Timmy,” she said, adding that she was very angry about the situation.
The comments highlight ongoing concerns about how the rescue operation is managed, especially in its final and most critical phase.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: theanimalreader.com
