The humpback whale, which had stranded multiple times along the coast of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in recent weeks, is dead. The carcass was found off the Danish island of Anholt and continues to attract onlookers who take photos with the animal.
Timmy became a symbol of the challenges of marine conservation and the dangers faced by marine animals. The Greens in the state parliament sharply criticize the crisis management of the responsible minister, Till Backhaus (SPD).
Harald Terpe, the environmental policy spokesperson for the Greens, accused Backhaus of shifting responsibility for the decisions made onto his ministry and its staff. He emphasized that a minister responsible for environmental, animal, and climate protection must make responsible decisions based on scientific findings.
The criticism also targets the lack of protective measures for the Baltic Sea. Terpe called for effective protected areas and a ban on gillnets in these regions to better protect endangered species like porpoises. He pointed out that a proposal by the Greens to strengthen the Baltic Sea was rejected in the previous session week.
The debate surrounding the death of the humpback whale shows that the fate of marine creatures extends far beyond this individual case. Experts warn that whale strandings are also a sign of human-induced disturbances in marine ecosystems. The public discussion about how to handle the carcass and the associated risks, such as the transmission of diseases, remains tense.
