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Danish Autopsy Finds Stranded Whale Timmy Was Female
Researchers found a cervix and other evidence as they studied the whale’s carcass for clues about humpback whales, which are hard to observe in the wild.
Danish scientists performed a public autopsy on Timmy on Thursday, revealing the stranded whale found on Anholt was female, contradicting earlier press reports that identified her as male.
Timmy originally stranded off Timmendorfer Strand on the German Baltic coast, prompting rescuers to transport her to the Kattegat Sea between Denmark and Sweden for release in early May.
During the procedure, researchers discovered a parasitic worm in the kidney and a piece of fishing net in the intestine after examining the carcass layer by layer.
The Fisheries and Maritime Museum in Esbjerg plans to transport parts of the skeleton for further study, while remaining portions will be shipped from Anholt for cremation.
Charlotte Bie, the museum's head of natural history, stated, "When we find stranded whales here in Denmark, we use them to gain insights into these wild animals.
Weeks ago, the dead humpback whale known as "Timmy" was flushed off the Danish island of Anholt, now researchers have finished an autopsy, but not all questions have been clarified.