Young shark saved by seal rehabilitation workers

Translated from Blik op nieuws in the Netherlands today:

This Wednesday a beached starry smooth-hound shark was found at the Hoek van Bant, Lauwersoog by employees of the Seal Rehabilitation Centre Pieterburen. In close consultation with Mark de Boer of Rotterdam Zoo the animal was helped back to sea again.

Rehabilitation coördinator Michael Bakker Paiva of the Seal Centre Pieterburen has a very special week: last Sunday, he assisted in the rescue of a harbour porpoise and today he found a beached starry smooth-hound shark. The centre staff were reacting to a report about a dead seal and found the shark in shallow water in the Hoek van Bant, near Lauwersoog.

They had to act quickly, as low tide was starting.

Directly they discussed that with Mark de Boer of Rotterdam Zoo, because if the shark had to be cared for then it would go to Rotterdam.

Fortunately things went well for the animal and with the assistance of biologist Sander van Dijk of the Seal Centre Pieterburen the fish was helped into a bucket of water. Then the animal was freed in deep and calm water near the port of Lauwersoog.

This was a young shark, 85 centimeter. An adult may be 180 centimeter.

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