What the fate of Timmy the whale says about conservation

The humpback whale being transported towards the North Sea in a flooded cargo ship. Photograph: Philip Dulian/AP

Timmy the whale is lost at sea, presumed dead.

In normal circumstances, the loss of a young humpback whale would be a sad yet unremarkable part of the circle of life. Dead whales help sustain thousands of marine species – and are part of the global carbon cycle.