"Don't Throw Raw Chicken": Why an Expert Warned About a Shark in a Busan Waterway

[Financial News] An expert analysis suggests that the shark staying in the waterway at Busan North Port Waterfront Park for its fifth consecutive day may have entered while pursuing prey. Experts have also urged people not to approach or provoke the shark or throw food at it.

Shark expert Choi Yoon, a professor in the Department of Marine Biological Resources at Kunsan National University, said in an interview with Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) radio's 'Park Sung-tae's News Show' on the 22nd, "I believe it entered the waterway while pursuing prey during the process of hunting for food." He added, "This can happen fairly often overseas."
He said the possibility of the shark attacking people could not be completely ruled out. Professor Choi noted that there have not been many shark-related human casualties worldwide, but explained, "Even when sharks attack people, they often do so after people provoke them first." He added, "If you approach a shark and provoke it, you could be attacked."
Earlier, an eyewitness account spread on social media claiming that a citizen had been stopped while trying to throw raw chicken at the shark. Professor Choi said, "It's much better not to throw it. That could also be (a form of) provocation," adding, "In the wild, groups of sand tiger sharks eat fish and do not readily eat meat or food thrown by people."
He also opposed the idea of feeding the shark fish such as sardines. Professor Choi explained, "In this environment, it does not eat dead prey." He continued, "It may gradually start eating such things if it becomes hungry later, but the current situation is not one in which there is so little food that it would become hungry. There is food available even in its natural environment right now."
He said it was unlikely that the smaller specimen seen in the waterway was the shark's pup. Professor Choi analyzed the situation, saying, "Sharks give birth to 10–20 pups at once." He added, "Only one small specimen is currently moving around. At a glance, it does look like a shark, but I don't think it is a pup born to this shark."
The shark was first spotted at around 8:57 a.m. on the 18th. A passerby reported it, and the Busan Coast Guard reportedly received the call. Authorities initially tried to drive the shark out of the waterway, but later changed their approach and decided to wait for it to leave on its own.

Meanwhile, the number of visitors hoping to see the shark also surged. Approximately 8,800 people visited the waterfront park on the 19th, followed by about 10,000 on the 20th. That was four to five times the usual number of weekend visitors.

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