Humpback whale sighted off German Baltic coast, ministry confirms; animal likely same one seen in Scotland and Denmark

Sighting confirmed at Kiel Fjord

On the evening of 17 July, the Schleswig-Holstein environment ministry confirmed a humpback whale at the mouth of the Kiel Fjord. The animal had spent a short time in shallower waters before moving slowly back toward the open sea. The ministry said it is "presumably the animal that was previously observed in Scotland and Denmark." It remains unclear whether this is the same whale that was reported near Heiligenhafen a day earlier; the ministry confirmed only the Kiel Fjord sighting.

Earlier sightings and health concerns

The German Maritime Museum received two sighting reports near Heiligenhafen on 16 July between 12:00 and 14:00. The image and video material was too poor to identify the whale with certainty, but its size and general appearance pointed to a humpback whale. In recent weeks, a humpback whale had been seen off the Danish coast, including near Aarhus and between Jutland and the island of Funen. Danish media nicknamed the animal "Hartwin." During a bridge-walking tour over the Lillebælt Bridge on the last weekend of June, observers noted skin changes on the whale's back. Marine biologist Fabian Ritter described "massive skin problems" and said the whale sometimes appeared apathetic, staying near the surface for long periods. Almut Neumeister of the German Maritime Museum called the skin changes and behavior "concerning." The Danish environmental authority urged people to keep their distance from the whale.

The animal has massive skin problems. Partly it appears apathetic.

It is definitely a humpback whale, which is clearly recognizable by the long flippers. The skin changes and the whale's behavior are indeed worrying.

Ministry response and reporting chain

The environment ministry stressed that a whale sighting alone is not a cause for alarm and does not justify state intervention. Whales are protected wild animals that move freely through the seas, and wandering great whales occasionally appear naturally in the Baltic, staying for varying periods. Because the whale was moving actively in open water, no further steps were deemed necessary. The ministry has established a reporting chain to respond quickly in the event of a stranding, coordinating with scientific experts, police, and the affected municipality. Dense ship and boat traffic near the animals represents "a significant stress factor" and should be avoided, the ministry said. For this reason, it is refraining from close monitoring of the whale.

Dense ship and boat traffic in the vicinity represents a significant stress factor for the animals and should be avoided at all costs. Also against this background, the environment ministry is currently refraining from closer monitoring of the animal.

The shadow of "Timmy"

The new sightings recall the odyssey of a humpback whale named "Timmy" earlier this year. Timmy was first seen in Wismar harbour in early March, wandered for weeks along the German Baltic coast, and stranded multiple times. A private initiative transported the whale to the North Sea in a barge and released it, but the animal was found dead off the Danish island of Anholt in early May. The ministry's reporting chain is designed to avoid a repeat of that prolonged ordeal.