Sick humpback whale spotted near popular Danish beach

A sick humpback whale is currently swimming in Aarhus Bay, Danish public broadcaster DR reports.

The Danish Environmental Protection Agency strongly urges the public and sailors to keep a safe distance from the animal, a warning echoed by whale researcher Peter Teglberg Madsen of Aarhus University.

“Even though it’s sick, it’s still the size of a truck—big and strong. I really urge people to stay at least 100 meters away. If it becomes desperate and thrashes its tail, it could harm both people and boats,” Madsen said, adding: “You wouldn’t walk into a one-room apartment with a sick elephant, either.”

Madsen, who confirms the whale is weak and unwell, said it should be feeding after a long winter fast near Cape Verde before migrating north. “Either it’s sick and can’t eat, or it has rope or fishing net in its stomach preventing it from eating,” he said.

He expects the whale will likely die within a month, washing up on a beach. The Environmental Protection Agency stated on its website that emergency services are monitoring the situation closely and consulting experts.