Large Humpback Whale Spotted in German Port of Wismar

On July 27, 2026 a roughly eight‑meter‑long humpback whale was reported by the Wismar harbour office and the Mecklenburg‑Vorpommern water‑protection police in the West harbour of Wismar, Germany. The animal, observed swimming among boats and even creating fountains, appeared vital despite a lighter‑coloured skin that may result from a fungal infection or the lower salinity of Baltic Sea water. Authorities did not launch a dedicated search but pledged to monitor the whale if encountered again.

The sighting follows earlier incidents involving a humpback whale dubbed “Timmy,” which stranded near the island of Poel in March and later died near Denmark, and a whale called “Hartwin” seen in the Flensburg and Kiel fjords. Experts are unsure whether the July animal is the same individual, but the German and Schleswig‑Holstein environmental ministries note that similar sightings have occurred in nearby Danish waters.

The incident has drawn public attention but no immediate policy changes; it remains under observation by regional marine‑conservation authorities.