Bukangi, the 'People's Shark,' Shows Unusual Behavior, Repeatedly Swimming in One Section... Busan Mayor Also Voices Concern

Jeon Jaesu: "Taking all necessary measures to prevent stress"
An abrasion was recently found near its snout.

Busan Mayor Jeon Jae-soo expressed concern about the health of Bukang, a black shark that entered a waterway in Bukhang Waterfront Park in Busan’s Dong-gu district and has been staying there for an extended period.

An abrasion found around Bukang's muzzle. KBS

Asked about Bukang’s condition at a press conference marking his 100th day in office at City Hall on October 8, Mayor Jeon said, “We are monitoring Bukang closely in cooperation with the National Institute of Fisheries Science.”

“We will take every necessary measure to ensure Bukang is not stressed, even at night,” he said. “Until about 15 days had passed, I thought I was an extraordinarily lucky mayor, and Bukang looked so lovely to me. But lately, my worries have become much greater.”

As of October 7, the cumulative number of visitors to Bukhang had reached 1.06 million, drawing strong interest from the public. However, no signs of feeding activity have been observed recently, and Bukang has reportedly been exhibiting unusual behavior, repeatedly swimming back and forth along one section of the waterway instead of moving throughout it. Concerns have also been raised that Bukang’s health could deteriorate due to falling water temperatures in autumn and the stimulation caused by visitors’ flashlights at night.

An injury was in fact found around Bukang’s muzzle. Experts believe it may have been caused when Bukang, swimming in shallow water, made sudden movements and scraped against structures in the waterway or the bottom.

In a video posted on social media, Bukang can be seen twisting its body along the side of the waterway, seemingly distressed by the strong lights some visitors shone on it at night. Experts speculate that the injury may have occurred during this incident.

“I very much want to leave Bukang alone in its natural state, but I am deeply concerned about falling water temperatures, the lack of feeding activity, and stress caused by people,” Mayor Jeon said. “During the day, we are managing the viewing environment with 105 personnel from relevant organizations, including Busan Metropolitan City, Busan Facilities Corporation, Busan Port Authority, the National Institute of Fisheries Science, Dong-gu Office, and the police and fire services.”

Busan Metropolitan City plans to continue checking Bukang’s condition in cooperation with specialist organizations, including the National Institute of Fisheries Science, and to implement additional protective measures, such as preventing disturbances from nighttime viewing, to safeguard Bukang’s health and safety.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.