A young Minke whale, nicknamed Timmy, has surprised marine biologists by surviving for several days after wandering into the Elbe River in northern Germany. Typically, whales that enter shallow freshwater environments face rapid health declines due to the lack of salt-water buoyancy and the subsequent stress on their internal organs. Experts are monitoring the situation closely as the whale continues to move within the river near Hamburg. While the animal’s persistence is unexpected, rescuers face significant challenges in guiding the whale back to the North Sea.
- A Minke whale nicknamed Timmy is currently stranded in the shallow waters of the Elbe River.
- Marine biologists expressed surprise at the animal’s longevity, as whales usually perish quickly in freshwater environments.
- The whale’s health is a concern because the lack of deep-water support puts dangerous pressure on its internal organs.
- Observers have noted the whale appears disoriented while swimming in the river’s narrow shipping lanes.
- Authorities are assessing the risks of a rescue operation versus allowing the animal to attempt to find its own way back to the sea.
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Ngl, this is absolutely nuts considering how many whales strand in other countries per year…
Godspeed! Hope for the best.
This is heartbreaking 💙
great project – thanks to the sponsors and everyone helping the rescue him
I hope he apreciates all that was done for him 🙂
Whales are our ancestors.
I wonder wich space program they agreed with to send him to moon
So happy that Timmy 🐳🕊️ the Whale 🐳 is on his 3 day trip in his Barge to the Atlantic.There Timmy will be Free close to an other Whale family 🙏🐋✌️💓🫶🐳
Right now Timmy is feeling better and even singing in his Barge.He is now in the Barge with Salted Ocean 🌊 water, that helps him to recover..
In these times of trouble, it's nice to have something to rally around.
Here's hoping for the best.
Hope-Timmy has proven and continues to prove Fabian Ritter wrong, so why is this person still being given a stage? Stop interviewing this man; he doesn’t know what he’s talking about. ❤🥰🐳🥰❤
What illness does he/she have ? What minimally invasive procedures did those experts perform?
Why is there no transparency regarding the whale's 🐋 medical conditions?
Has anyone made a diagnosis/diagnoses? Save for the metabololic stress of starvation and a dermopathy?
Can't this catabolic stress be reversed by enteral feeding? Is it not an ebb and flow phenomenon?
Would a phosphate rich substrate 🧪 be useful in catalyzing the Kreb's cycle and electron transport chain?
Could a marine whale veterinary surgeon please shed more light? I think these marine biologists may have reached the end of their tether..
Asking as a human ⚚ 👨🏾⚕️😷✂🔪🪡🩺🥼💉🏥 🇰🇪…
There is a principle called muti-disciplinary team discussion. Was an MDT of the various stake-holders: verterinary surgeons, marine biologists, environmentalists, ship's captains, state officials, philanthropists, etc convened to hash out the way forward? It seems matters have been conducted ad hoc resulting in a slew of disparate voices…
Could this be a comedy of errors? It seems the scene is replete with egos that are soon to be bruised..
the government didn't spend money on anything ? they need to feed it if the whale is malnourished.
Can't they give him IV food??? 🇨🇦
Here in British Columbia we just had 4 dead ones.
All starved. 😢
Please find experts to help remove the net still lodged in his mouth! I would think it's easier now on barge because of the combined space. I don't know how he is going to feed with that nasty thing in his mouth. I believe God shows us the damage we have done to marine creatures. Because of human demands for seafood, the fishermen would do anything to capture thus causing irreversible destruction to other creatures. How can you feel good watching this while in cahoots with fishermen to hurt the ocean?
Mr. Ritter is not a designated expert in whale rescue. Transfiguring assumptions, remote diagnoses, and correlations into causality does not constitute a professional expert contribution. Furthermore, there are increasing indications that Mr. Ritter wanted to join the rescue operation but was rejected
This story feels like it felt out of 2015. Definitely not the kind of thing we are supposed to care about anymore in 2026
The animal did not stranded because of his bad health, but because of the geographically situation. The Baltic Sea is a death trap for big whales, a labyrinth of shallow water and islands with too less salinity. Also Mr. Ritter is a sore loser. He did nothing to save the whale. On the contrary. From the beginning he is talking badly about all and everyone. Do not give him screentime. Talk to those who where with the whale all the time. Btw. people named the whale 'Hope', not Timmy. 'Hope' is being constantly observed by vets and he is already getting better. Skin is healing, he starts to move and train his muscles. Even if he will not survive in the open sea, there was at least the attempt to help him!!!
About 2 weeks they do nothing, they kick out good people from the Rescue like Robert Marc Lehmann and waiting that the whale die. The Marine Museum was waiting for the Skelett for their exhibition. But the whale was stronger. The public makes so much pressure that they decide they must do something. The next Election is coming soon🤔😉
Бедняжка, она наоборот искала мелкое место, а ее увозят на глубину. Очень надеюсь, что там она начнет хорошо кушать и окрепнет.
I hear what this "expert "says but if he is going to die anyway what's the harm in trying to save him?🤔
Er will leben und er hat eine Chance. Lasst doch Gott entscheiden was im Atlantik passiert. Engel als Retter und Unterstützer hat er ja bereits geschickt. Ich hoffe von ganzem Herzen dass er es schafft ❤🐳💫🙏🏻
Allen Voraussagen zum trotz sind wir bis hierher gekommen. Das darf man nicht vergessen.
Am Ende entscheidet Mutter Natur. Für uns menschen ist es, der letzte Weckruf vielleicht, endlich mit der Fischerei aufzuhören, sonst ist in zehn Jahren nichts mehr da.
Maybe Timmy survived this long time, because he had people around to talk to him and touch him ? For us, this might be surprising, because we know, that this animals are normaly alone, but maybe it felt still good for him, to feel, that so many people cared for him.
oh man these freakin experts very pesimistic about survival chances, I kinda feel their dissapointement that rescue was succesful wtf? At lease now it has a fighting chance instead of lying on sand and dying slowly!
Mr Richter says " if I was a whale" 😅 then this whale – no wont be sociable- then 'Timmy would love to meet up with his kind " , what is this man talking about??????
Im so glad Timmy/Hope has been given a chance by kind donors, volunteers, vets and kind human beings.
Ppp complaining please stop – it didnt cost you a cent, oenny, peso, rouble.
If the whale 🐋 doesnt survive its sad but realistic- if he does, its a wonderwerk! 🎉❤❤❤
he would have just let him die there over weeks. suffering in the sun. terrible marine biologist. only negative what he has to say..
I just watched a movie called "The Roses". iykyk.
Ritter is the most awful person and after the rescue he has been to every German media on daily basis to say negative things. He wanted to leave the whale die without any support. Reason? The skelett, that he and his friends were promised at the sea museum. This is a very evil man towards animals. Shame on your channel.
This guy is a general pessimist! I have never seen him smile and from day one on he told us that the wale will die. Timmy/Hope has proven him wrong, with everything it prophesied! He's not an expert if he can't truly admit it! He can go away!
Great job no matter what. Its a fight for somebodys freedom.
Now EU should ban all aquariums.
would like an update on this. wether he survives or not
You know, the reason the whale ended there in the first place taught me a great lesson.
The whale swam through a ground-net and couldn't get it off. This weakened him badly. Seals and Dolphins and such aren't strong enough to pull the whole net. They just die.
There are thousands of these nets being lost every year just in the north sea.
So Timmy really is just a symptom of what's happening put there. It's nice to see people care about him, but there are an untold number quietly dying out in the ocean.
My takeaway – I'm not eating fish anymore.
Ok, he spoke about the dangers but what is the solution then? No to rescuing him, so what then? leave him to die??
I think it's better that they try to rescue him even if he dies than just watch him die in the river. Maybe he will heal in his natural environment, we all hope.
This is the problem with those experts. Zero empathy just few passed exams…
There seem to be two possible outcomes:
1. Either the whale survives
2. Or it suffocates by falling to the bottom, which is faster than the agony in the shallows
If scientists couldn't help it recover in the shallows, then I applaud this endeavor.
If he was going to pass anyway, why not give him a chance. He probably understands that people are trying to save him. Better than dying alone.
I love this story. Timmy unifying force. Attempts to help him is truly the only bit of good news these days.
Forget Ritter, we spent lots of money on more useless stuff. Thanks to all the privates and initiatives who help.
The rescue is not really about saving the whale, its about removing 14 tons of possible dead meat from the beach asap and telling the kids the happy ending story of a saved happy whale…As soon as they release him, he will sink down and drown.
This is an incredible rescue! This whale has lasted 38 days, he clearly has the will to live. I pray he makes it. So much negativity by Mr. Ritter.
I wish the best for Timmy, but it would be horrible to let him suffocate to death 4:20. Not sure everybody in the comments know whales are mammals and swim to the surface to breath. Let's see what's the release plan, hopefully is not simply open the door and push Timmy out 🤞
Saudações do Brasil 🇧🇷
Estamos torcendo pelo Timmy para que ele possa chegar em segurança e voltar ao seu habitat!
O que dizer aos voluntários e patrocinadores que não mediram esforços nesse resgate ? Acho que não há palavras para agradecer 🤍
Estamos vendo a mãe natureza, nosso lindo planeta azul 🌎 sendo tão castigado pelo "ser humano", então isso é uma brisa de esperança 💙🌎🏞️🌳🐻❄️🐵🐅🐆