SEOUL, October 07 (AJP) - A shark that has drawn more than 1 million visitors to Busan's North Port has been identified as a roughly 3-meter female dusky shark, a species classified as endangered on the global conservation list, fisheries authorities said Tuesday.
The National Institute of Fisheries Science confirmed the species after examining close-up footage of the shark, nicknamed "Bukangi," and finding a ridge between its two dorsal fins, a feature that distinguishes the dusky shark from a closely related species. Its sex was determined from reproductive features on its underside.
Bukangi was first spotted in an artificial waterway at the North Port waterfront park on Sept. 18 and has remained there despite two attempts by authorities to guide it back to open water. Officials have since removed a barrier net and are waiting for the shark to leave on its own while monitoring its condition.
The shark has meanwhile turned the waterfront into an unlikely tourist attraction. A total of 1.016 million people had visited the park by 6 p.m. Monday, compared with about 2,000 visitors on a typical day before the shark appeared.
As many as 140,000 people visited on Sept. 26, while another 89,000 came on each of the final two days of the Oct. 3-5 holiday period.
Dusky sharks can grow to about 4.2 meters and are found in tropical, subtropical and temperate waters worldwide. They generally favor water temperatures between 18 and 26 degrees Celsius and migrate over long distances as temperatures change, according to the institute.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the species as Endangered as the decreasing rate in population and its slow growth considering the amount of reproduction. Fisheries authorities said they will continue monitoring Bukangi's swimming behavior and health and work with Busan officials if signs of distress emerge.
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