"It's Really Time to Say Goodbye": Third Net Operation to Guide Shark Bukang Out to Sea Set for Tomorrow
Risk of death rises as water temperatures drop
No feeding activity observed, raising concerns
Authorities will launch a third operation to return Bukang, a shark that has been staying for more than a month in an artificial channel at Busan North Port Waterfront Park, to the sea.
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said on the 20th that it had held a meeting near Busan Station with 10 relevant organizations, including Busan Metropolitan City and the National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, and drawn up a detailed plan for the third operation to guide the shark offshore, scheduled for October 21.
This time, the organizations plan to use a net again, placing workers on a pontoon, a floating platform for work on the water, and securing the net as they slowly move toward the sea to guide Bukang out.
As the water gets deeper near the channel exit, a gap may open between the net and the channel floor, allowing Bukang to escape. To prevent this, a second net will be set up farther inside the channel.
Before the operation, the organizations began preliminary work on the afternoon of October 20, using underwater drones and other equipment to survey the underwater terrain and obstacles at the entrance to the waterfront park channel. They plan to install equipment at the site on the morning of October 21 and begin guiding Bukang out to sea in earnest that afternoon.
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said, "Throughout the operation, we will continuously monitor the shark's condition and movements to minimize stress on the animal, while prioritizing the safety of workers and park visitors."
On September 29, the organizations tried to drive Bukang out to sea by directing jets of water at it with water pumps, but failed. On October 2, they pulled a net to guide Bukang to a point within 100 meters of the channel exit, but the effort failed when Bukang crossed over the net and returned farther inside the next day.
After the second rescue attempt failed, the organizations waited, as Bukang might return to the sea on its own once the water temperature dropped. However, no feeding activity by Bukang has been observed during its month-long stay at the waterfront park, and signs of health problems have also emerged, with repeated injuries seen on its snout and fins after it scraped against hard objects such as the walls and floor while swimming in the narrow, shallow channel. The organizations have therefore decided to try again.
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Bukang, first spotted in the waterfront park's artificial channel on September 18, has become a local attraction in Busan and drawn widespread attention. Visitors have flocked to the park to see the wild shark up close, bringing the cumulative number of visitors to more than 1.6 million.
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