A post-mortem of the humpback whale 'Timmy' has revealed that it was a female, Danish biologists said on Friday, but the mammoth mammal's cause of death remains unknown.
It had already been suspected that the whale might be a female and this was later confirmed at the examination site following the long but unsuccessful effort to rescue the creature that strayed into the Baltic Sea in March.
The mystery of how the whale died remains even after an examination of the carcass on the beach of the Danish island of Anholt late on Thursday.
It is often very difficult to determine the exact cause of death in such cases, said veterinary scientist Tim Jensen from the University of Copenhagen. No injuries were apparent and although parasites were found, they were not responsible for the death.
No nets or other objects were found when the whale's mouth and stomach were examined, said Jensen.
Animal finally removed
By Friday morning, all the animal's remains had been removed from the beach, reported the TV2 broadcaster, citing the Danish Environmental Protection Agency.
Timmy drew international attention after repeatedly running aground off northern Germany and being initially freed through the concerted efforts of local authorities, environmentalists and private donors.
Sadly, the whale succumbed to its ordeal and its body washed ashore on the Danish island three weeks ago. The closing chapter of the Timmy saga will be the complete removal of its remains. The collection of containers holding them is not expected to take place for some days yet.
Wearing protective suits, the experts first examined and measured the yellowish-brown carcass. They then cut it open with a long knife to release air from the severely bloated animal and the whale was then dissected. The team took samples, for example from the kidneys and liver.
Biologist: Post-mortem valuable for research
During the post-mortem that lasted several hours, an excavator gradually lifted sections of the carcass into containers.
Such a detailed examination process is standard procedure, but one that is very valuable, said participating Danish biologist Charlotte Bie Thøstesen.
Humpback whales, she explained, are animals that are difficult to study in their natural marine habitat. "So when we find whales that have stranded here in Denmark, we use them to gain insights into the wild animals," said Thøstesen.
Not all of the remains will be disposed of: Some of the animal's bones will be added to the collection of the Natural History Museum in Copenhagen, said the biologist.
According to TV2, remains including a pectoral fin, five vertebrae, a scapula and the whale’s hyoid bone were already sent to the capital.
