Washed-up shark treated at Dolfinarium

The starry smooth-hound that washed up in Vlieland, Monday, was transferred from “De Noordwester” nature and information center on the island that took it in, to the Dolfinarium in Harderwijk, where it can get the special care the female shark needs.

The starry smooth-hound, a rare species, lives in the Northern Atlantic Ocean, between Great Britain and the Canary Islands. It's the first time a live sample washed up on the Dutch shores. The animal was found with a nose injury and did not want to eat, so it's being tube-fed. The wounds are treated with honey ointment, according to a Dolfinarium spokesperson. The shark is expected to recover and will be released back into nature as soon as possible.