Thursday, April 2nd, shortly after 6 a.m.: Drone footage shows the whale almost motionless – but every four minutes, a delicate spray rises like a cloud. No teams are in the water anymore; the risk of further panicking it with boat noise is too great. The shoreline is cordoned off over a wide area, and onlookers must keep a distance of 300 meters.
The Ministry of Agriculture of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania has suspended all active rescue attempts until a "decisive" spring tide allows for a new attempt. Should the animal's health deteriorate significantly, "humanitarian" euthanasia would also be considered. The final section explains what exactly will determine the marine mammal's fate…
What now depends on the fate of "Timmy"
The young "Timmy," as many children now call him, needs two things within 24 hours: rising water of at least 40 centimeters and enough remaining strength to roll himself into deeper water. If he succeeds, he could – accompanied by boats – find his way into the Kadet Channel and ultimately leave the Baltic Sea.
If this last attempt fails, rapid loss of strength due to dehydration and organ failure is imminent. Yet, a strong northeasterly wind is still forecast, which could push the water into the bay. As long as a fountain erupts every four minutes, hope remains – and all of Germany holds its breath
