Authorities on the Danish island of Rømø have begun the removal of a dead whale following the failure of a German-led rescue operation. The whale, a male sperm whale approximately 15 metres in length, became stranded in shallow waters off the island's coast on Tuesday. Emergency services from Germany and Denmark coordinated efforts to refloat the animal over a 36-hour period, but the whale died of stress and exhaustion early Thursday.
Marine biologists have since conducted a preliminary examination. The carcass is being transported to a disposal facility. Local officials stated that the incident poses no public health risk.
The German rescue team, composed of volunteers from the Society for the Rescue of Whales Schleswig-Holstein, faced challenging tidal conditions and adverse weather. This marks the third stranding event in the Wadden Sea this year. The cause remains unknown.
A spokesperson for the Danish Nature Agency confirmed that a full necropsy will be performed to determine contributing factors.
