In the artificial waterway of Busan's North Port Water Park, injuries have been discovered on the right pectoral fin of the shark known as 'Bukan,' which has been residing there for over a month. It is believed that Bukan sustained additional injuries while swimming in the narrow channel, having previously injured its snout.
According to Yonhap News on the 18th, footage captured by citizens the previous day showed the tip of Bukan's right pectoral fin turning white and appearing damaged. One citizen who filmed the video remarked, "It seems Bukan's fin got split from swimming too close to the right wall."
Bukan, a blacktip shark measuring approximately 3 meters in length, was first spotted in the artificial waterway on September 18 and has remained there since. Authorities have attempted to rescue Bukan twice but have been unable to return it to the sea, and they are now monitoring its health while waiting for it to exit the waterway on its own.
The National Fisheries Research Institute confirmed the injury through field researchers. They assessed that the damage to Bukan's fin likely occurred due to friction while swimming close to the waterway's walls. Currently, no bleeding has been observed.
Bukan had previously sustained an injury to its snout after colliding with barnacles and other attached organisms on the waterway's walls.
A representative from the Fisheries Institute stated, "Sharks generally have a good recovery rate for skin injuries, so the current fin injury is not a major concern. However, continued contact with the walls while swimming could delay recovery. We are continuously monitoring both the existing snout injury and the condition of the pectoral fin."
Public interest in Bukan remains high, with many citizens visiting to see the shark. According to the Busan Facilities Corporation, as of 6 p.m. on the 18th, the number of visitors to the North Port Water Park reached 54,000, an increase of 12,000 from the previous day. Over the weekend, a total of 96,000 visitors came to the park, bringing the cumulative total to 1.6 million since Bukan was first discovered.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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