Rare hammerhead shark carcass found off Jeju Island

A carcass of a hammerhead shark, a species rarely seen in waters off Jeju Island, was found near the island's southern coast on Friday.

A fishing boat operating near Munseom Island off Seogwipo discovered the carcass, relatively intact, on Friday and reported it to the Seogwipo Coast Guard Station, according to the agency and Kim Byung-yeob, a professor at Jeju National University’s College of Marine Science, on Tuesday.

The shark measured approximately 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) in length. It is believed to have been a juvenile, as adult hammerhead sharks can grow to between 3 and 4 meters.

Hammerhead sharks, categorized as an endangered species, primarily inhabit tropical and subtropical waters. They are not native to Jeju's temperate waters. 

Although there have been relatively few reported cases of hammerhead sharks harming humans, caution is needed because they can be highly aggressive.

“The shark appears to have followed its prey closer to the coast as water temperatures changed,” Kim said. “Haenyeo [Female divers] should exercise caution because merely encountering a shark, even without being bitten, could cause a heart attack or a similar medical emergency.”

BY KIM EUN-BIN [[email protected]]