Dead Whale Will Be Removed From Danish Island

Why this is here: The whale was equipped with a GPS tracker during the German rescue bid, confirming its identity when it washed up on Anholt.

Danish environment officials plan to remove a humpback whale carcass from Anholt island. The whale washed ashore last weekend, roughly two weeks after a German rescue attempt failed. The animal was initially stranded in Lübeck Bay, Germany, becoming entangled in netting in early March.

The barge transporting the whale released it into the North Sea about 70 kilometers from Denmark. Islanders report the whale is drifting along the beach and is growing due to gas buildup. They worry the carcass may explode, though one resident remains unconcerned.

Denmark’s environmental protection agency will perform a post-mortem examination. They also aim to collect samples for research, but have not announced a timeline for the removal. The exact path the whale took remains unclear, and the cause of its initial distress is still unknown.