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Marine researcher Robert Marc Lehmann tries to help the whale from the water.
Keystone
A stranded humpback whale is fighting for survival on the German Baltic coast. Robert Marc Lehmann accompanies the rescue attempts as a diver up close - and drastically dampens expectations.
A dramatic natural phenomenon is currently taking place on the beach at Niendorf (Germany). A stranded humpback whale is fighting for survival. Thousands of people are watching the rescue operation live. The most conspicuous actor: marine researcher Robert Marc Lehmann.
The diver ventured into the immediate vicinity of the whale and acted as an intermediary between the whale and the rescuers, cheering the animal on and coordinating the dredgers. Although there is still movement in the animal, his assessment is sobering.
Lehmann describes an animal that is reacting, but is visibly suffering. The whale had noticed him and even made sounds, but had become increasingly insecure. "He's scared," Lehmann told German media at a press conference on Thursday.
At the same time, the researcher emphasized how crucial it is that both eyes are open - a sign that the animal is still responsive. The whale reacted to being touched and was not apathetic, which basically speaks in favor of a rescue attempt.
However, the initial situation is anything but ideal. The whale is lying at an angle on a kind of underwater ramp, with its head in shallow water and its tail in deeper water. "It's in the worst possible position," says Lehmann. This position not only makes it difficult for the animal to find its way around, but also makes possible rescue measures more difficult. The hope is to use heavy equipment to dig a channel through which the whale could find its way back into deeper water.
Nevertheless, Lehmann makes it clear how slim the chances of success are. "I want to manage expectations," he says - and puts the chance of survival at just "0.1 percent". Although the animal still looks relatively strong and not emaciated, it is in a bad way overall.
Particularly worrying: a rope is hanging out of its mouth. Apparently the whale has become entangled in a ghost net. "I pulled on it, it's tight," says Lehmann. It is unclear whether the net is blocking the whale from feeding.
Even if the whale were to free itself, it could become stranded again. According to Lehmann, a boat escort would therefore be necessary to guide it back towards the North Sea. But even that is difficult to organize. "Who would do that? Who can pay for it?" Lehmann asks.
A rescue is only really successful when the animal is healthy again and eating on its own - not when it breaks free from the beach. Lehmann can only speculate as to why the whale came so close to the coast in the first place: "It's possible that it came ashore to die, like other wild animals." But no one can say for sure.
Despite all the doubts, Lehmann emphasizes that the whale has not yet given up. It was precisely this that ultimately prompted him to help on site himself. He is not emotionally unaffected by the situation: "When a whale dies, which is the most likely scenario, it's super sad for everyone - it gets me down."
