"I Don't Want to Leave Busan"... Shark "Bukang-i" Resists Near Waterway Exit

Authorities launching a second rescue operation for "Bukang-i," a shark that has been staying in the artificial waterway of the Busan Bukhang Waterfront Park, have guided the shark close to the waterway's exit and installed a net.

Although they failed to completely drive it out of the waterway, they successfully guided it near the exit and decided to wait for Bukang-i to leave on its own.

Relevant authorities, including the Busan Maritime Police Station, conducted the second rescue operation for Bukang-i at the artificial waterway of the waterfront park this afternoon (Oct. 2).

This comes three days after the first failed rescue attempt on September 29.

Unlike the first rescue operation, which used water pumps to shoot streams of water, this operation was carried out by setting up a net and gradually moving toward the waterway exit to push Bukang-i out.

The authorities installed a large net measuring 50 meters in length and 6.8 meters in height near the 4th pedestrian bridge inside the artificial waterway, and moved toward the 5th pedestrian bridge to induce Bukang-i to exit the waterway. The net-pulling process proceeded slowly.

Operations paused whenever Bukang-i approached the net, and advanced slightly when it moved away.

Appearing reluctant to leave, Bukang-i hovered around the net and even approached it closely as if searching for a gap.

When Bukang-i stopped swimming toward the exit and held its ground near the net, authorities suspended the operation at around 5:35 p.m. and fixed the net in place.

This spot is located about 150 meters inward from the waterway exit.

It is reported that the net got caught on the bottom of the waterway and could not be moved any further.

As Bukang-i also hovered around the net as if refusing to budge, authorities decided to secure the net in place and wait until Bukang-i leaves on its own.

This decision was reportedly made in accordance with recommendations from the National Institute of Fisheries Science.

Initially, there were plans to have another vessel behind the net shoot water jets using a water pump to drive Bukang-i away, but the water jets were withheld to avoid provoking the shark.

The banks of the waterfront park waterway were once again packed with citizens hoping to catch a glimpse of Bukang-i today.

Bukang-i was first spotted in the artificial waterway of the waterfront park on September 18.

At the time, the maritime police attempted to drive Bukang-i out to sea, but when it refused to budge, they decided to wait until it left on its own.

As crowds gathered to see the 3.5-meter-long large shark that unexpectedly entered the park's waterway, the waterfront park overnight emerged as a nationwide attraction.

Since Bukang-i's initial discovery, the cumulative number of visitors to the park has surpassed 600,000.

As Bukang-i's stay prolonged, authorities attempted to drive the shark out to sea using a water pump on September 29, but Bukang-i refused to leave easily.

Consequently, authorities initiated the second rescue operation using nets today, three days later.

Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.