There was clear growth on the animal as a result of a skin disease, Carsten Manheimer from the marine conservation organization Sea Shepherd told the AFP news agency on Tuesday in Niendorf near Lübeck. The disease is probably a result of the low salinity of the Baltic Sea.

The animal was first spotted on a sandbank in the Bay of Lübeck near Niendorf on Monday night. Since then, several rescue operations have failed. Among other things, waves were created with boats to help the whale return to deeper water. At least the whale was able to be freed from parts of a net that was wrapped around its body.

Police keep onlookers away from the humpback whale – to protect it

According to a spokesman, the police, in cooperation with the municipality, ensured that the whale was not disturbed by onlookers on Tuesday. Construction fences were set up on the beach and boats patrolled the water.

The whale could not be pulled into the water, explained Manheimer. The animal is already weakened and may have too few muscles to resist. Such an action could therefore potentially do more harm than good to the animal, he emphasized.

Further discussions about rescue options for the animal should take place on Tuesday, Manheimer said. “We are on call if the experts still see an option.”

Is it the same animal that recently got caught in fishing nets?

The stranded animal may be the same whale that got caught in a fishing net near Steinbeck off the Baltic Sea coast of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania around two weeks ago. A week earlier, a whale had also been spotted in the harbor of Wismar.