An injured Kaua‘i Hawaiian monk seal flown to O‘ahu was resting comfortably this weekend, but will require surgery to remove a fish hook he swallowed, according to federal officials. A spokesperson for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine
An injured Kaua‘i Hawaiian monk seal flown to O‘ahu was resting comfortably this weekend, but will require surgery to remove a fish hook he swallowed, according to federal officials.
A spokesperson for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service said the 20-year-old male, weighing around 500 pounds, was resting at the Fisheries Kewalo (Basin) Research Facility.
Caregivers were going to try to feed the seal this weekend.
The adult male was captured Thursday near Waimea, and flown to O‘ahu Friday, after eluding marine-mammal experts for a week.
He was first observed on June 4 near Kapa‘a with fishing line trailing from his mouth.
About 15 feet of fishing line and a leader were removed from the animal before he was airlifted to O‘ahu on a U.S. Coast Guard cargo plane.
Marine-mammal experts monitored the seal over the weekend.
A team of veterinarian seal specialists from the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, Calif., have been called in to assist on-island monk seal veterinarian Dr. Robert Braun in a medical procedure to remove the hook.
The surgery will take place early this week, after the hook will be located with an X-ray while the animal is under anesthesia.
Officials are still looking for the other hooked monk seal last seen at Po‘ipu last week, and continue asking the public to call the NOAA Fisheries toll-free, 24-hour marine-mammal emergency hotline, 1-888-256-9840, if the animal is spotted.
On the Web: NOAA Fisheries: http://swr.ucsd.edu/piao/index.htm
