A 12-ton humpback whale stuck in Baltic Sea mud has become the focus of an expensive, controversial rescue that kicks off Tuesday in northern Germany, the Guardian reports. "Timmy," stranded off the island of Poel for more than three weeks in waters too low in salt to sustain it, is set to be hoisted onto air cushions, cradled in a net inside a steel pontoon, and towed about 250 miles toward the North Sea under a privately funded plan dubbed "Operation Cushion." Two millionaire backers are bankrolling the mission and assuming legal responsibility, after state-hired experts advised against any rescue, saying the visibly ailing whale is beyond help and calling further intervention "pure animal cruelty."
Marine scientists warn the animal's lethargy, blistered skin, and an embedded fishing net point to severe illness and a poor prognosis; the whale has repeatedly gotten disoriented, which is also raising alarms about its health, RTL reports. The rescue effort has drawn crowds of spectators, round-the-clock livestreams, and heated politics: Germany's environment minister, who previously backed letting the whale die, now supports the new bid, while critics allege the rescue team is inexperienced and laced with far-right and conspiracy-linked figures who claim to be aiding Timmy with "auras." Conspiracy theories have emerged around the whale, with some insisting the whole thing has been staged, France 24 reports. Both scientists and officials report receiving threats over their stance.
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