Timmy the whale to be processed into biobiodiesel by Danish firm

Timmy, a humpback whale that became a media sensation after weeks stranded on the German Baltic coast, was rescued in a costly private operation and released into the North Sea. Two weeks later the dead animal was found near the Danish island of Anholt.

The Danish company Daka Denmark has been tasked with handling the carcass. Under EU waste regulations, whale remains are classified as Category 1, the highest‑risk level, requiring strict processing. Daka plans to extract the whale’s fat for biodiesel production and use the meat and bone residue as a bio‑fuel for energy recovery, such as cement manufacturing. Parts of the skeleton will be transferred to the Copenhagen Natural History Museum for scientific study and display.

The decision has drawn mixed reactions in Germany and Denmark, with some viewing the approach as a pragmatic use of a large animal carcass and others questioning the symbolism of turning a beloved rescue subject into industrial fuel.