A famed dusky shark in South Korea is still lingering near a canal in Busan, the port city it was guided out of on Wednesday. The shark, nicknamed Bukangi, has not yet swum into the open sea, and authorities said it has repeatedly circled back to the mouth of the waterway.
Bukangi became an unlikely sensation after it was spotted in the canal last month. For weeks, rescuers tried without success to steer it back to the sea using nets.
Livestreamed rescue ends with shark back in canal
On Wednesday, rescue workers spent more than eight hours guiding the three-metre-long shark toward open water in a harbour, in an operation that was livestreamed. Hundreds of fans gathered at a park overlooking the canal, cheering and waving goodbye. On Thursday morning, however, Bukangi reportedly swam back into the canal after breaking through a barrier installed by authorities.
For a time, the shark was trapped between two layers of nets. Rescuers freed it by removing the outer layer and then strengthened the remaining layer to stop it returning. Authorities said Bukangi has since been swimming further out but keeps circling back. A government official said on Thursday afternoon that rescuers had concluded their operations to free the shark.
Warm waters and fish may have drawn shark in
It is thought that unusually warm water and plenty of fish attracted Bukangi to the canal. Experts say that as the sea warms each year, Busan may host more sharks in the future.
In the month it has been in the canal, Bukangi has drawn more than 1.6 million visitors. Its popularity gave a welcome boost to tourism in Busan, and the city has embraced the shark as an unofficial mascot.
Officials worry about shark’s health and safety
Authorities were concerned about the animal’s well-being, as it appeared to be injured and was not eating. Social media users have shared videos showing Bukangi swimming in the canal with what appears to be a bloodied snout. There were also concerns that falling water temperatures could weaken it further.
Before this week’s operation, there had been two earlier failed attempts to guide the shark out of the canal with nets.
