Buchang-i, the shark spotted in Busan's North Port waterway, shows a wound near its fin. [Yonhap]
Buchang-i, the shark spotted in Busan's North Port waterway, shows a wound near its fin. [Yonhap]

Buchang-i, the shark lingering in a Busan waterway, was observed ramming its head against a wall — an abnormal behavior that has alarmed experts.

With no feeding activity detected, experts say the shark may have gone entirely without food for a full month, raising concerns that its survival window could be very short.

Buchang-i was seen Monday morning repeatedly striking its head hard against the outer wall of the waterway. Experts say the behavior points to serious physical deterioration.

Choi Yoon, an emeritus professor of marine biological resources at Gunsan University and a shark specialist, said the shark's condition appears to be declining rapidly. "It seems its senses have become dulled due to a loss of physical strength, which is likely why it is hitting the wall so hard," he said.

The National Institute of Fisheries Science, which is monitoring Buchang-i, said it has not observed the shark feeding at all. Choi said the shark has in all likelihood gone completely without food for a month. He added that a combination of physical decline and falling water temperatures means the shark may survive for only about two more weeks.

Residents photograph Buchang-i, a shark that appeared in the waterway of the North Port waterfront park in Dong-gu, Busan, on Tuesday. [Yonhap]
Residents photograph Buchang-i, a shark that appeared in the waterway of the North Port waterfront park in Dong-gu, Busan, on Tuesday. [Yonhap]

"Black sharks and similar species sometimes go without feeding for more than a month — in some cases up to two months," Choi said. "There is a high likelihood that Buchang-i has eaten nothing at all, meaning its stored energy reserves are significantly depleted." He added that the shark could survive for as little as two weeks.

A wound on Buchang-i's fin was also discovered Sunday. Footage captured by onlookers showed the tip of the shark's right pectoral fin had turned white and appeared partially damaged.

One resident who observed the shark said, "It looks like the fin split from swimming too close to the right wall."

Buchang-i was discovered Sept. 18 at the North Port waterfront park in Busan and was identified as a blacktip shark measuring about 3 meters in length. It has remained in the harbor for a month since then.

Authorities have conducted two rescue operations but have been unable to guide the shark out to open sea. They are expected to announce a new rescue plan as early as this week.


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