Operation Cushion: Millionaire-Funded Rescue of a Stranded Humpback Whale

A 12-ton, 10-metre humpback whale named Timmy has been stuck in mud off Poel Island, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, for over three weeks. The privately financed “Operation Cushion” will lift the whale onto air-cushion pads, suspend it in a net inside a steel pontoon, and tow the pontoon about 400 km (248 mi) toward the North Sea for release into deeper Atlantic waters.

The Guardian

Timmy was first seen in the Baltic Sea last month, likely after chasing herring. Low-salinity water and mud have left it lethargic, with blister-like skin lesions and a fishing net reportedly stuck in its mouth. Local fire-brigade crews have sprayed water and applied hundreds of kilograms of zinc ointment. Hundreds of tourists have camped on the Poel shoreline to watch.

The Guardian

Environment Minister Till Backhaus backs the rescue and has taken legal responsibility. Oceanographic Museum director Burkard Baschek, former state adviser, opposes it, citing the whale’s poor health. The operation is funded by equestrian expert Karin Walter-Mommert and former electronics-retailer co-founder Walter Gunz, who claim full decision-making freedom. A far-right “Querdenker” group, including a veterinarian from Hawaii, also supports the effort.

The Guardian

The rescue tests private funding for wildlife conservation, raises animal-welfare concerns, and may affect public perception of the Social Democratic government before a September election. Extensive media coverage intensifies scrutiny of the operation’s feasibility and ethics.

The Guardian

Backhaus affirmed state support, denied electoral motives, and said the financiers have full legal responsibility and decision-making authority. The Oceanographic Museum rejected claims it seeks the whale’s skeleton for profit. State-hired experts previously advised against intervention, calling it “pure animal cruelty.”

The Guardian

Baschek says Timmy’s lethargy, net-in-mouth, and severe skin damage indicate a very poor prognosis, making rescue futile and cruel. Critics accuse the team of limited experience and political exploitation. Far-right supporters claim esoteric “auras” can aid the whale, raising concerns about misinformation.

The Guardian

State experts deem the rescue unviable, while the minister and backers proceed. Health assessments differ: some stress a “very poor” prognosis and a net lodged in the mouth; others lack definitive survival data. No independent scientific evaluation of the towing method has been published.

Newser

• “[It] is interesting, it turned 90 degrees – and in the right direction. It seems to be preparing itself mentally and emotionally for departure,” — Till Backhaus, Environment Minister

The Guardian

• “A rescue attempt … is no longer worthwhile,” — Burkard Baschek, Director, Oceanographic Museum

The Guardian

• “I won’t be blackmailed.” — Till Backhaus

The Guardian

• “a big big fat F@CK YOU” — Veterinarian, Hawaii

The Guardian

Operation Cushion will start Tuesday, with the backers assuming full legal liability. An investigation into the far-right group that joined the effort has been reported.

Newser