Stranded Humpback Whale Gets Second Chance With New Private Rescue Initiative

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's Environment Minister Till Backhaus (SPD) has authorized a new private rescue attempt for the humpback whale stranded off Poel Island near Wismar. The relevant authorities have reviewed and approved a concept submitted by an initiative involving an entrepreneur and a businesswoman, Backhaus said Wednesday in Schwerin. The plan envisions a gentle whale rescue using air cushions and pontoons to transport the whale to the North Sea or as far as the Atlantic Ocean.

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Private Initiative Bears Full Responsibility

The responsibility for the project lies exclusively with the private initiative, Backhaus emphasized. The rescue initiative is financed by MediaMarkt co-founder Gunz and entrepreneur Karin Walter. However, the authorities will accompany the effort and monitor compliance with animal welfare and environmental protection regulations.

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After weeks of presence and four strandings in the Baltic Sea, the animal remains "in difficult condition" and is "certainly severely ill" according to all available information. However, he had always stated that all viable "solutions in the animal's best interest" should be explored.

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Experts Had Previously Ruled Out Rescue

The humpback whale had wandered through the Baltic Sea for several weeks outside its native habitat and has now been lying off Poel Island on the Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania coast for approximately two weeks.

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Just days ago, experts, together with Backhaus, had actually definitively ruled out considerations to recover the whale alive and transport it to the North Sea. They saw no realistic chances of success.

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New Approach Using Air Cushions and Pontoons

With the plans submitted by the initiative on Tuesday and Wednesday, there is now "a new situation," Backhaus said. The proposed system of air cushions and pontoons represents a new approach. The concept has been comprehensively examined by experts on the authority side regarding technical, veterinary, and animal welfare aspects and has been accepted after some improvements. It is compatible with the provisions of the Federal Nature Conservation Act and represents "an opportunity."

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