Washed up blue shark released back into North Sea

The blue shark that was found alive on a beach near Ouddorp in Zuid-Holland on Saturday afternoon was released back into the North Sea that same evening. The Royal Dutch Rescue Society (KNRM) released it in the open sea, after which it immediately swam away.

The release took place near Stellendam in Zuid-Holland. The shark was temporarily held in a zoo in Rotterdam. According to a spokesperson from Blijdorp Zoo, the shark had the greatest chance of survival if it was released as soon as possible.

Rescuers tried to get the 1.86-meter-long fish into the sea in the afternoon, but the shark washed up again repeatedly. While waiting for assistance, the animal was kept wet and moved around in salt water.

Keeping the shark alive was quite a challenge. According to the person in charge of ocean animals at Blijdorp, Mark de Boer, the shark was most likely injured. “A shark does not live in the North Sea and lies there on the beach … there is something about it. Healthy animals don’t wash up.”

This was a very unlikely event. De Boer explained that “this is the first time we have received a blue shark. Most of the animals are already dead before they are taken from the beach.”