Bucangi swims through the waterway. [Yonhap]
Bucangi swims through the waterway. [Yonhap]

Bucangi, a shark that spent more than a month in the artificial waterway of Busan's North Port waterfront park before venturing out, has not been seen for several days.

Analysts say the recent drop in water temperature is likely a contributing factor in the shark's disappearance.

Bucangi has not appeared in monitoring conducted by the National Institute of Fisheries Science for five consecutive days since Tuesday, according to authorities.

The institute suspended its regular on-site checks Friday and shifted to a tip-based response system, dispatching staff only when members of the public report a sighting. No such tips have come in so far.

Experts believe the falling water temperature off North Port has also influenced the shark's behavior.

When Bucangi was first spotted in the waterfront park's waterway on Sept. 19, the surface water temperature off North Port stood at around 25 degrees Celsius. As the weather turned colder, it dropped below 20 degrees for the first time Wednesday. The optimal water temperature range for the dusky shark — the species Bucangi belongs to — is between 18 and 26 degrees Celsius. The current temperature off North Port is near the lower end of that range.

Choi Yoon, an emeritus professor of marine biology at Gunsan University, told Yonhap that the falling water temperature appears to have caused Bucangi to dive deeper and surface less frequently, making it harder for people to spot.

Choi added that Bucangi may now be in the waters off Pier 7 or may have already moved from North Port into the open sea. "It will be difficult for people to catch sight of it going forward," Choi said.

Bucangi becomes a 'sharkfluencer'

Bucangi swims through the waterway. [Yonhap]
Bucangi swims through the waterway. [Yonhap]

Bucangi's sudden appearance in the waterfront park's artificial waterway drew wide attention and affection from Busan residents and tourists alike.

The city of Busan responded by officially appointing Bucangi as an honorary promotional ambassador for the city.

Before the Chuseok holiday, the city held a public poll on its official Instagram account asking residents whether they supported the appointment. More than 8,200 people participated, with 91 percent voting in favor, the city said at the time.

On Monday, the city also organized an event offering a free set of 16 "Sharkfluencer Bucangi — Welcome to Busan!" emoji stickers to the first 50,000 new users who added the city's official KakaoTalk channel.

During its stay of more than a month in the waterway, Bucangi drew more than 1.6 million visitors.

The shark's presence was also credited with bringing new energy to nearby businesses.


yul@heraldcorp.com