Crowds still flock to see 'Bukang-i,' but winter looms for stranded shark

A blacktip shark nicknamed "Bukang-i" marked its 22nd consecutive day Friday in the artificial waterway at Bukhang Waterfront Park in Dong-gu, Busan, drawing more than 1 million cumulative visitors. Growing concerns over falling autumn water temperatures and the confined space have made the animal's survival the top priority for authorities.

According to the Busan city government and the Busan Facilities Corporation, about 1.0158 million people visited Bukhang Waterfront Park between Sept. 19 and 6 p.m. Monday. The park typically draws about 2,000 visitors a day, but the crowd surpassed 1 million in roughly 18 days after Bukang-i was first spotted on Sept. 18.

The park remained packed Friday, the first day of the Hangul Day holiday weekend. A large outdoor parking lot near the park filled up early in the morning, and the area around the waterway was crowded with visitors hoping to watch the shark swim. Some spread out picnic mats on the grass to settle in for a longer stay.

A web service called "Is Bukang-i There Right Now?" — which lets citizens share real-time sightings of the shark — began receiving verified photos shortly after 7 a.m. Friday. The service, developed by students at Pukyong National University, uses crowdsourced reports to track the shark's location in real time.

While the vast majority of visitors came simply to observe the shark, some caused problems by repeatedly using what appeared to be mirrors to reflect intense sunlight into the waterway. Authorities also confirmed what appeared to be an abrasion wound on Bukang-i's snout. The injury is believed to have occurred when the shark scraped against the bottom or walls of the channel while moving in response to strong flashlight beams shone by some visitors at night.

Bukang-i was first spotted in the waterway at Bukhang Waterfront Park on Sept. 18. The National Institute of Fisheries Science confirmed the animal is a female blacktip shark measuring about 3 meters in length. The blacktip shark is classified as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Experts have warned that a prolonged stay in the artificial waterway could worsen the shark's health and raise the risk of death. Blacktip sharks prefer relatively warm waters, and if the animal remains trapped in the channel into winter, its chances of survival are considered slim. Specialists have called for measures to return it to the sea before cold weather sets in.

Busan city and other relevant authorities have carried out two rescue attempts. In the first, on Sept. 29, the Busan Coast Guard and fire department deployed five vessels and used water pumps to try to herd the shark toward open water, but Bukang-i evaded the jets by pressing against the channel walls or diving deeper, and the attempt failed.

A second attempt followed on Oct. 2, when crews installed a large blocking net roughly 50 meters wide — fitted to the width of the waterway — to push the shark toward the sea. The net became snagged on rocks near the channel entrance, however, and the following day, Saturday, Bukang-i swam back over the net and returned deeper into the channel, foiling the second effort.

Authorities have since suspended further rescue operations and decided to wait for now to see whether Bukang-i leaves the waterway on its own. The National Institute of Fisheries Science said it will continue monitoring the shark's swimming behavior and health, and will coordinate with Busan city and other agencies if any warning signs emerge.