Home / Environment / Humpback Whale Battles for Survival in Shallow Waters
Humpback Whale Battles for Survival in Shallow Waters
29 Mar
Summary
- Whale stuck again after freeing itself from initial sandbank.
- Part of a fishing net remains tangled in the whale's mouth.
- Experts concerned about falling water levels as whale weakens.
Marine scientists in Germany are gravely concerned about a humpback whale that has re-stranded in shallow waters after initially freeing itself from a sandbank. The mammal's condition has significantly deteriorated, with its calls becoming less frequent. A portion of a fishing net, estimated to contribute to the entanglement of 300,000 marine mammals annually worldwide, remains stuck in the whale's mouth.
Authorities have established a 500-meter restricted zone around the whale, which is resting on the seabed in approximately two meters of water. While the whale has enough food reserves, experts fear that receding water levels could further jeopardize its survival. If the whale does not free itself soon, its situation is expected to worsen.
The whale was first discovered on a sandbank off Timmendorfer Strand near Lübeck early last week and had been repeatedly spotted along the Baltic Sea coast since March. Rescue efforts have included digging a channel to help it swim free, but its current predicament highlights the ongoing global issue of marine mammals getting caught in fishing gear.
