A 3.5-meter shark spotted in the waterway of the Busan North Port Waterfront Park has been seen for four consecutive days.
Now, with a fish about 1 meter in length recently discovered further inside the waterway, online communities are buzzing with rumors that the shark may have given birth.
According to the Busan Metropolitan Government and the Busan Coast Guard, a fish about 1 meter long was found inside the North Port Waterfront Park waterway yesterday.
However, it has not been confirmed whether this fish is a baby shark.
The city of Busan is currently working to verify the exact species and its relationship with the previously spotted shark.
Earlier, at around 8:57 a.m. on the 18th, the first citizen report was filed stating that a shark measuring about 3.5 meters in length was seen in the waterway of the North Port Waterfront Park in Dong-gu, Busan.
Based on its brownish appearance, the National Institute of Fisheries Science (NIFS) estimated it to be a bull shark belonging to the Carcharhinidae family.
The shark has continued to make repeated appearances since then, failing to exit the waterway.
On the first day, the coast guard deployed coastal rescue boats and patrol vessels to herd the shark toward the open sea.
However, following a recommendation from the National Institute of Fisheries Science that aggressively driving the shark could trigger aggressive behavior, operations were halted after about six hours, and authorities are now waiting for the shark to leave for the open ocean on its own.
As news of the shark sightings spread via social media, unexpected crowds of onlookers flocked to the North Port Waterfront Park.
Every time the shark's fin broke the water's surface, citizens could be seen recording it with their smartphones, and it is reported that about 30,000 people visited the park over the past three days.
On social media, the shark even earned the nickname "Bukangi," a portmanteau derived from North Port, and so-called "viewing tips" sharing prime locations, times, and parking spots to see the shark have also emerged.
However, the bull shark is classified as a dangerous species capable of harming humans.
With crowds gathering, park management has entered emergency duty status, broadcasting safety announcements and restricting access to certain facilities.
The city of Busan also sent out emergency disaster text messages urging citizens to refrain from approaching close to the water.
The National Institute of Fisheries Science believes that rising water temperatures have increased the population of warm-water fish species, and that the shark may have entered deep into the North Port waterway while chasing prey.
Reported by Kim Minjeong | Video by Lee Eui-sun | Graphics by Yook Do-hyun | Produced by SBS Digital News
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