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Hook removed from Hawaiian monk seal on Oahu

By NOAA Fisheries

Aug. 7, 2019

Video

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Video courtesy Hawaii Marine Animal Response, Edited by Chelsee Yee, Music by bensound.com
Hawaiian monk seal R333 was accidentally hooked by a fisherman on July 27. NOAA officials credit the fisherman for calling the hotline right away, which helped the response and treatment to the seal. To report a hooked seal, call NOAA’s hotline at 888-256-9840.
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The Hawaii Marine Animal Rescue received a call on Saturday about a hooked monk seal. A fisherman was reeling in his line when he realized there was an endangered Hawaiian monk seal at the end of it.
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The monk seal response team transfers R333 to a holding pen for evaluation at NOAA’s Inouye Regional Center. Fishing line is trailing out of his mouth.
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The monk seal response team transfers R333 to a holding pen for evaluation at NOAA’s Inouye Regional Center. Fishing line is trailing out of his mouth.
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The veterinary team uses an endoscope to see the hook while dislodging it from the monk seal’s cardiac sphincter.
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X-ray of the fishing hook lodged deep in R333’s esophagus.
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Dr. Michelle Barbieri used PVC tubing to cover the tip of a hook and 16-inch, de-hooking tool so it would not cause more damage as she maneuvered it out of R333’s esophagus.
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After a hook was removed from his esophagus, Hawaiian monk seal R333 swims along the shore with a satellite transmitter attached to his back.
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