Busan’s ‘Bukkangi’ shark confirmed as endangered heuksangeo, a 3-meter female
In short
The National Institute of Fisheries Science said on Oct. 6 that the shark nicknamed Bukkangi, which has stayed in an artificial channel at Busan North Port’s waterfront park since Sept. 18, is a heuksangeo, a species classified as Endangered. Close-up video showed a ridge between its first and second dorsal fins; the shark is about 3 m long and female. Two attempts to guide it back to open sea have failed, and authorities are waiting for it to leave on its own, while visitors who came to see it passed 1 million the previous day.
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The National Institute of Fisheries Science said on Oct. 6 that the shark nicknamed Bukkangi, which has been staying in an artificial channel at Busan North Port’s waterfront park, is a heuksangeo. The institute said the identification was made after analysing close-up video, which showed a clearly developed ridge between the first and second dorsal fins — a feature of the heuksangeo. The shark was confirmed to be about 3 m long and female, based on the shape of the genitalia on its underside. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Mutaesangeo and heuksangeo are difficult to distinguish by eye; a ridge between the first and second dorsal fins indicates a heuksangeo, and its absence a mutaesangeo, according to the institute. It describes the heuksangeo as a large shark with a broad, round snout and triangular, serrated upper teeth, born at about 70–100 cm and growing up to 4.2 m. The species is found in tropical, subtropical and temperate coastal and open waters worldwide, including off Korea, prefers water of 18–26°C and migrates long distances with temperature changes; it feeds on fish and squid. The institute said no study of the diet of North Pacific heuksangeo exists, but heuksangeo off Australia are known to prey on mackerel, horse mackerel and sardines. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
The heuksangeo is a viviparous species that grows and reproduces slowly, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature lists it as Endangered (EN) on its Red List because of population decline. In Korea it was treated as the same species as the mutaesangeo until it was reported to academia in 2019 as a previously unrecorded species; since then it has been observed off Namhae in South Gyeongsang, Samcheok in Gangwon, Sinan in South Jeolla, Jeju and waters near Busan, the documents say. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Bukkangi has stayed in the channel since Sept. 18, the institute said. Authorities made two attempts to guide it out to open sea, and the shark remained in the channel; the net installed after the second attempt was removed around 4:20 p.m. on Oct. 3 to leave a route toward open water. The institute says it will continue monitoring the shark’s swimming behaviour and health and will work with Busan city and other agencies if any abnormal signs appear, while rescue authorities plan to wait for the shark to leave the channel on its own. [ 3 , 5 ]
Visitors hoping to see Bukkangi passed 1 million the previous day, according to the reports. Kyunghyang Shinmun said the institute initially judged a mutaesangeo to be the more likely identification, while Yonhap and Asia Economy said it initially estimated the shark was either a mutaesangeo or a heuksangeo. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
Why it matters
The identification turns a local curiosity into a case involving a species the International Union for Conservation of Nature lists as Endangered, and the fisheries institute says it will keep monitoring the animal’s swimming behaviour and health with Busan city and other agencies. More than a million visitors have come to see the shark, making how it is handled a matter of public attention and safety in the North Port area.
Key facts
- The National Institute of Fisheries Science said on Oct. 6 that the shark called Bukkangi is a heuksangeo. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The identification was based on close-up footage showing a developed ridge between the first and second dorsal fins, a feature of the heuksangeo. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The shark is about 3 m long and was identified as female from the shape of the genitalia on its underside. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- It has been in the artificial channel at Busan North Port’s waterfront park since Sept. 18. [ 3 , 5 ]
- The heuksangeo is listed as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List because of population decline. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Authorities made two attempts to guide the shark out to open sea, and it has remained in the channel. [ 3 , 5 ]
- Visitors coming to see Bukkangi passed 1 million the day before the confirmation was announced. [ 3 , 5 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The National Institute of Fisheries Science announced on Oct. 6 that Bukkangi is a heuksangeo, after close-up video analysis showed a ridge between the first and second dorsal fins. [ 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- The shark is about 3 m long and is female, identified from the shape of the genitalia on its underside. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- Mutaesangeo and heuksangeo are hard to tell apart by eye; a ridge between the first and second dorsal fins indicates heuksangeo. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The heuksangeo is classified as Endangered (EN) by the IUCN Red List due to population decline, and in Korea it was recognised as the same species as the mutaesangeo until it was reported as a previously unrecorded species in 2019. [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]
- The shark has stayed in the North Port waterfront park channel since Sept. 18, and two attempts to guide it to open sea have failed. [ 3 , 5 ]
- Visitors coming to see the shark exceeded 1 million the previous day. [ 3 , 5 ]
Still unclear
- Whether and when Bukkangi will leave the channel or be guided out. Authorities say they will wait for the shark to leave on its own after two failed attempts, and the documents give no date or further operation plan.
- What the institute’s first assessment of the species was. Kyunghyang Shinmun says the institute initially judged a mutaesangeo the more likely identification, while Yonhap and Asia Economy say it estimated the shark was either a mutaesangeo or a heuksangeo.
- Why the shark has remained in the artificial channel. The documents describe the stay and the failed guiding attempts but do not give a reason.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- The shark Bukkangi enters the artificial channel at Busan North Port’s waterfront park. [ 3 , 5 ]
- The net installed after the second guiding attempt is removed to leave the shark a route toward the open sea. [ 3 , 5 ]
- Newsis reports the shark has been identified as a heuksangeo, about 3 m long and female. [ 2 ]
- Yonhap reports the fisheries institute’s confirmation and the plan to monitor the shark without further rescue work for now. [ 3 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun reports the confirmation and the species’ diet and conservation status. [ 4 ]