Buckel whale in front of Rügen spotted: concern for his survival in the Baltic Sea!

Buckel whale in front of Rügen spotted: concern for his survival in the Baltic Sea!

Nonnevitz, Deutschland - A very special visitor pleased the Baltic Sea from Rügen - a humpback whale! On July 15, 2025, the stately animal near Nonnevitz was filmed by holidaymakers and the recordings are not only excited by animal rights activists. The German Sea Museum confirmed that the whale is a male young animal, which is an estimated 8 to 10 meters long. Bumping whales are usually at home in the North Atlantic, and the sighting in the Baltic Sea is rated as false migration, since the water does not offer enough food there to provide the animal sustainably. The concern for his survival is therefore great, especially after other marinelefen were spotted in 2023, including a humpback whale in February in front of the Baltic Sea coast that was released from a fishing net.

The recordings impressively show the fluke of the whale, which is repeatedly to hit the water surface with its tail fin - a behavior that can often be observed in male humpback whales. Judith Denkinger, curator of marine mammals from the German Sea Museum in Stralsund, expressed her concern about the presumed reason for the error: underwater noise or disorders from ship engines could have led to the whale disorientation. The sighting is perceived by many as impressive, but also alarming, since the possibilities for the animal to find its way back to the North Sea are uncertain.

worrying circumstances for the humpback whale

The whale seems to be looking for fellow species, and the behavior is interpreted as an indication of its critical situation. Currently, according to the video, there is still enough food, so that the whale can survive in the Baltic Sea for a while. But how long this will be the case remains to be seen. In social media, numerous users comment on both joy and concern about the unusual sight. An interplay of curiosity and concern is unmistakable on the platforms.

The latest reports on Wal views in the Baltic Sea show that this phenomenon has recently occurred. According to the NDR, several other humpback whales have been spotted in the region since the beginning of the year, including in May before Ahrenshoop and on Easter Sunday near Hiddensee. Experts emphasize that the sea often serves whales as a habitat, which for various reasons are on the way. Compliance with distance to the animals is recommended to the boat drivers in order not to trigger the whales additional stress.

The appeal of the experts

The situation is extremely critical for the humpback whale, since young animals without their association, like this whale, are very endangered. Dr. Denkinger sincerely hopes that the whale will find its way back to the North Sea and could possibly meet a crush of herring, which would increase its chances of survival. Sea biologists advise you to make boat trips calm so as not to put a strain on the animals and not to block their way.

For sightings of marine mugs in the Baltic Sea there is a special call: reports must be addressed to the German Sea Museum so that the experts can plan any support measures. In the event of sighting, a minimum distance should always be observed in order to leave the whales the necessary calm and not to disturb their natural behaviors.

The enthusiasm and concern for this impressive whale reflect how valuable and vulnerable the maritime life in our region is. A little call to everyone: keep your eyes open and support the animal rights activists under the protection of these majestic sea creatures!

For more information and current sightings, visit the pages of Ostsee Zeitung , ndr Tag24 .