We are greatly saddened to hear of the passing of “Timmy” the whale, whose journey touched the hearts of millions around the world.
The project to rescue this young humpback whale who had stranded on sandbanks in Northern Germany waters brought together people from countries far and wide for one purpose: to give him a chance. In the face of arguments that there was no hope, and that the whale should simply be euthanized or left to die, people joined together in an “all-out” effort to help a whale who continued to show himself to be determined not to give up.
What followed, throughout the many days of the rescue efforts in Germany, was a powerful reminder of the very best of humanity: compassion, determination, collaboration, and the willingness to fight for another living being simply because his life mattered.
The uncertainty surrounding Timmy’s release is understandable with all the contradictory stories in the media and even posted images of other whales. Worse yet, the ship’s captain and crew took it upon themselves to release the whale and did not permit the veterinarians and whale experts to conduct or even participate in this release. Only one was even allowed to observe the ship’s crew releasing the whale.
There may always be unanswered questions about whether Timmy sustained injuries during the release process. The treatment and conduct displayed by members of the ship’s crew that day was more than disturbing given the extraordinary care and professionalism that had surrounded Timmy throughout the rescue effort.
The young whale’s remarkable will to live, and the organizers’, funders’ and the rescue team’s efforts on his behalf, and the public’s support for his determination will not be diminished by the circumstances surrounding that day.
While the outcome of his release is not what everyone wished for, he was not left to slowly deteriorate on a sandbank. And we do know from his transmitter device that he swam freely in the open ocean again for several days, diving deep beneath the surface to 150 meters, experienced the water around him, perhaps hearing the songs of other whales, and living his authentic life once again, even briefly.
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