"Did It Really Leave Because It Got Cold?" ... 'Bukangi' Missing for Fifth Straight Day

More likely to be swimming deeper and going unnoticed as water temperatures fall

Experts say falling water temperatures may explain why Bukangi, a blacktip shark that stayed in an artificial waterway at Busan North Port Waterfront Park for more than a month before swimming out, has not been seen for five days.

Bukangi swimming in the artificial waterway at Busan North Port Waterfront Park. Yonhap News Agency.

According to the National Institute of Fisheries Science and other relevant agencies on October 31, Bukangi had not been spotted during monitoring from October 27 through that day. The institute reportedly stopped monitoring the previous day and switched to responding to the site when it receives reports from the public, but no further sightings had been reported.

Experts cited falling water temperatures as one possible reason Bukangi disappeared. When Bukangi first appeared in the artificial waterway at North Port Waterfront Park on September 18, the surface temperature of the nearby sea was about 25 degrees Celsius. However, the sea temperature dropped sharply while Bukangi was staying at the park, falling below 20 degrees Celsius on October 28.

The suitable water temperature for blacktip sharks like Bukangi is known to be 18 to 26 degrees Celsius. This means the temperature in the waters off North Port has approached the lower limit of that range. It is expected to fall to around 15 degrees Celsius by mid-November. Experts therefore believe Bukangi may have moved to relatively warmer, deeper waters as the temperature dropped.

Experts also said the falling water temperature may have changed Bukangi's swimming behavior. After suddenly appearing in the artificial waterway at North Port Waterfront Park, Bukangi would perform what was dubbed a "fan service," showing its fin above the surface once every five minutes. Experts believe that as the water temperature fell, Bukangi began swimming underwater in deeper waters and surfaced less often, making it harder for people to spot.

Based on Bukangi's earlier movement patterns, experts believe it may currently be in the waters off Pier 7 or may have left North Port for the open sea.

Fish such as mullet, which sharks could prey on, lived in the artificial waterway, but Bukangi was not observed feeding there. It also showed signs of health problems, including wounds found in several places on its body. However, experts believe Bukangi will recover after reaching the open sea.

Meanwhile, Bukangi, which suddenly appeared in the artificial waterway at the waterfront park, also drew tourists to the area. The cumulative number of visitors during its stay of more than a month exceeded 1.6 million. The Busan Metropolitan City Government also officially appointed Bukangi as an honorary ambassador for the city.

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