NOAA team tends to monk seal with apparent shark wound

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s monk seal emergency response team is keeping a close eye on an adult female seal on Oahu nicknamed “Right Spot” as she heals from what appeared to be a shark wound.

Last week, NOAA’s monk seal emergency team went to an undisclosed shoreline to assess Right Spot, or RO16, because she had been floating listlessly, a sign of possible health problems. The team discovered a wound to her left armpit and one of the digits of her flipper, which appeared most likely to be from a shark bite, NOAA Fisheries reported.

The team administered an injection of antibiotics and decided that allowing her to heal in the wild was the best approach. Since then, the monk seal has shown promising signs of improvement. The team gave her a follow-up dose of antibiotics on Monday and noted decreased swelling around the wounded area.