Where is the Southern Bottlenose Dolphin 'Bibongi' with Lost GPS Signal and What Is It Doing?

Released into the sea off Daejeong-eup, Jeju on the 16th of last month... No signal for 3 weeks
Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries: "Low possibility of death... Could be a device malfunction or detachment"

The GPS signal of the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin 'Bibongi,' released into the sea off Daejeong-eup, Seogwipo-si, Jeju, on the 16th of last month, has not been detected for over three weeks. The photo shows Bibongi. Photo by Yonhap News.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyunjung] It has been confirmed that the GPS signal of the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin 'Bibongi,' released into the sea off Daejeong-eup, Seogwipo-si, Jeju, on the 16th of last month, has not been detected even once for over three weeks.

The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) reported that Bibongi's GPS signal has not been received even once since its release over three weeks ago, but the possibility of Bibongi's death is currently considered low. If Bibongi had died, it is highly likely that the carcass would have been found by now. A MOF official stated, "It seems that Bibongi has not yet joined a pod," adding, "Jedori, which was released earlier, joined a pod about a month after release, and Taesan joined about two months later." Regarding the GPS signal not being detected at all, the official explained, "For the GPS signal to be properly received, Bibongi must be above the water surface, and a satellite must be passing overhead," adding, "These conditions may not have been met, or there could be equipment malfunction or device detachment."

Born around 1999 or 2000, Bibongi was accidentally caught in a fishing net near Biyangdo, Hallim-eup, Jeju-si, when it was 5 to 6 years old in 2005. It then lived in an aquarium for 17 years, performing at Pacific Resort in Jungmun-dong, Seogwipo-si. The Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin, known to have about 120 individuals inhabiting the coastal waters of Jeju Island, was designated as a marine protected species in 2012 and is under protection and management. At the time of the marine protected species designation, Bibongi was one of eight Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins living in domestic aquariums and was the last to remain in captivity.

Subsequently, on August 4th, Bibongi was moved to a circular training pen with a diameter of 20 meters and a depth of 8 meters installed in the sea off Daejeong-eup, Seogwipo-si, Jeju. After completing step-by-step training to adapt to the wild, including live fish feeding training, Bibongi was released back into the sea on the 16th of last month. The most important aspect of the training to release Bibongi into the sea was to sever contact with humans and restore its wild instincts. Due to long captivity, Bibongi might mistake human approach as a feeding opportunity and could beg for food by extending its snout and stopping when fishing boats approach. Thanks to Bibongi becoming capable of hunting for food independently, it was able to return to the sea. Additionally, since Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins live in pods, adapting well to a pod remains a future challenge.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.