The shark known as 'Bukan' has not been spotted for five days, with experts suggesting that declining water temperatures may be a contributing factor.
According to Yonhap News and related agencies, Bukan, which had been residing in an artificial waterway at Busan's North Port waterfront park for over a month, has not been detected by the National Fisheries Research Institute's monitoring since October 27.
The institute has ceased regular field inspections as of the previous day, opting instead to respond to citizen reports if any arise, but no reports have been received.
Experts believe that the drop in water temperature in the sea off North Port has influenced Bukan's behavior. When Bukan was first spotted in the waterway on September 18, the surface temperature of the sea was around 25 degrees Celsius. However, as the weather has cooled, it fell below 20 degrees for the first time on October 28.
Experts explain that the optimal temperature range for the blacktip shark, to which Bukan belongs, is between 18 and 26 degrees Celsius. The current temperature in the North Port area is nearing the lower limit of this range, and it is expected to drop to around 15 degrees by mid-November.
As a result, Bukan may have descended to deeper waters, where temperatures are relatively warmer.
After being seen outside the waterway, Bukan was spotted near the International Passenger Terminal, approximately 2 kilometers away, but has been missing since October 27.
Notably, Bukan was first observed in the waterfront park waterway on September 18 and, after 33 days, was guided out of the waterway by authorities on October 21, subsequently appearing in the waters off North Port.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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