A humpback whale has been washed up on the beach at Dueodde on Bornholm, and a specialist has now confirmed the species of the whale. Over the weekend, the dead whale was discovered in the water off the coast and has since been washed up on the beach. TV 2 Bornholm reports on the incident. Prior to the whale coming ashore, it was unclear what species it was. Carl Kinze, a whale specialist who runs the website hvaler.dk, had previously stated to TV 2 Bornholm based on video footage that at first glance, it looked like a humpback whale. After seeing pictures of the whale on land, especially its tail, he could confirm on Tuesday that it is indeed a humpback whale. This was reported by TV 2 Bornholm.
The humpback whale is a baleen whale belonging to the rorqual family. According to the website of the Natural History Museum, it is more robust and less elegant than other rorqual whales. The whales can grow up to 19 meters long and weigh up to 35 tons. The species is rarely seen in Denmark and has only stranded a few times here. As recently as April, Århus Stiftstidende reported on a humpback whale that was seen in Aarhus Bay.
The Ministry of Environment recently updated the emergency plans for handling large marine mammals. According to these plans, large whales stranded on Danish shores should not be euthanized or pulled back into the sea. They should be allowed to remain in place so that nature can take its course. However, it is unclear what will happen to the carcass at Dueodde now that it is on land.
On Monday, Kenneth Nielsen, a nature guide at NaturBornholm, told TV 2 Bornholm that it could become a problem if an easterly wind comes, which could wash the whale further up the beach. The Ministry of Environment recommends keeping at least one meter away from stranded marine mammals.