Timmy the humpback whale sparks controversy at Germany's Rock im Park festival

Humpback whale Timmy was first sighted in the Baltic Sea in early March 2026, stranded twice on German coasts and later transported to the North Sea before disappearing. On 14 May a dead whale was found near the Danish island of Anholt, and Danish authorities confirmed it was Timmy. Marine biologist Robert Marc Lehmann, who helped in the rescue, later criticized online accusations that rescue crews had injured the animal and called for a correction of “lies”.

At the closing of the Rock im Park music festival, German rapper Finch played the song “Er hat sich das nicht ausgesucht”, projecting large images of Timmy on the stage screens. The performance, which featured a track by virtual KI‑artist Valkyra Solara, divided the audience and generated a heated debate on social media, with some praising the tribute and others condemning the use of a dead animal for entertainment.