Busan shark remains in park waterway after a month as officials monitor its health

A three-metre shark nicknamed Bukangi (부캉이) remained in the artificial waterway at Busan’s North Port waterfront park on October 18, a month after it was first spotted. Authorities said its swimming behaviour showed no significant health problems. They have suspended attempts to guide it back into the sea and are monitoring its condition while waiting for it to leave voluntarily. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]

The shark was discovered on September 18 in the waterway, which connects to the sea. The coast guard tried twice to move it out using water pumps and a specially made net. Yonhap reported that the second attempt brought it to within 100 metres of the exit, but the shark crossed the net and returned inside the following day. Newsis said the second operation was halted after the net caught on the bottom. [ 1 , 3 ]

A wound on the shark’s snout has not worsened or spread, according to Yonhap. Newsis reported that the National Institute of Fisheries Science had observed the wound improving and the shark swimming steadily along the waterway walls at around five kilometres per hour. Water temperatures were about 21–22 degrees Celsius on October 17, and salinity was similar to the open sea, with no freshwater inflow, Newsis reported. [ 1 , 3 ]

Authorities hope autumn cooling will encourage the shark to move to relatively warmer waters outside. Yonhap reported expert assessments that temperatures below roughly 18 degrees Celsius would be difficult for it to tolerate. The animal has also become a visitor attraction: park attendance has exceeded 1.5 million since its discovery. Newsis reported a cumulative 1,555,800 visits counted from September 19, including 59,000 on October 17. [ 1 , 3 ]