Humpback whale’s penis found in Åkirkeby, Bornholm after beach cleanup

After almost two months of delay, the remains of a deceased humpback whale have been reunited with its penis. This unusual event took place at the NatureBornholm experience center in Åkirkeby, which received a rather unique delivery recently. The discovery was made by environmental workers during a beach cleanup, who initially mistook the find for a peculiar large sea serpent. Fortunately, they took the specimen to NatureBornholm instead of disposing of it.

Kenneth Nielsen, a nature guide at the center, explained that after conducting a Google search and sending pictures to whale researcher Carl Kinze, it was confirmed that the specimen was indeed a whale’s penis. “It’s quite unbelievable,” Nielsen remarked.

The penis, measuring over 1.5 meters, is believed to belong to the humpback whale that washed ashore on the southern coast of Bornholm last summer. The carcass had decomposed significantly, indicating that the entire whale did not come ashore at once. In contrast, the penis was found to be in fairly good condition. “It’s surprisingly well-preserved. At 160 centimeters, it looks nearly intact and is truly beautiful,” Nielsen noted.

However, 160 centimeters is relatively small in the context of whale anatomy. According to Kinze, it likely belongs to a young male whale, which correlates with the whale that washed ashore at Dueodde in July.

Currently, the whale’s penis is in a holding position. It may remain frozen at NatureBornholm or potentially be sent to Copenhagen. There is also a possibility for it to be exhibited, similar to parts of the whale that were displayed over the summer. The decision will ultimately be made by the whale researchers.