Another Dead Whale Found Near Wangerooge After Recent Discovery on Sylt

Wangerooge, Niedersachsen - In a troubling trend, a dead whale has been discovered in the North Sea, just days after a 14-meter-long sperm whale was found washed ashore on the holiday island of Sylt. A helicopter pilot spotted the marine mammal on Thursday while flying over the uninhabited area near the ghost island of Minsener Oog, located in the Niedersachsen Wadden Sea.

The whale was found on a sandbank east of Wangerooge, a small island in the Friesland district. This island, which covers approximately four square kilometers, is situated about four kilometers from the mainland and is surrounded by sandbanks. A former WWII flak tower, which served as a lighthouse until 1998, remains on the island.

According to Imke Zwoch, a spokesperson for the Niedersachsen Wadden Sea National Park, the whale in question is believed to be a humpback whale. However, details regarding its size and the cause of death have not yet been confirmed.

Authorities are currently assessing whether the dead whale poses any danger, particularly if it were to be washed off the sandbank and enter shipping lanes in the North Sea. Initial evaluations are being conducted from the air, with plans for experts to examine the situation on-site soon.

In a related incident from the previous week, a dead sperm whale was discovered off Sylt. The situation became urgent as the whale was at risk of exploding, prompting a local butcher to use a chainsaw to dismember the carcass on the beach. The remains were subsequently transported in specialized containers to Jagel for proper disposal. Samples from the 10 to 15-ton sperm whale are now being analyzed in Büsum, Schleswig-Holstein.

A team from the Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW) is investigating the circumstances surrounding the whales' deaths, aiming to determine the causes and origins of these tragic events. Experts from the Veterinary University of Hannover are also involved in this examination.