A famous dusky shark in South Korea refuses to leave a canal despite an eight-hour rescue operation to guide it back to the open sea.
A famous dusky shark named Bukangi continues to linger near a canal in Busan, South Korea. The animal gained fame after appearing in the city's waterway last month.
Also, rescue workers spent eight hours on Wednesday guiding the shark toward the open sea. They used nets to carefully lead the ten-foot animal away from the area.
Next, hundreds of fans watched the event from a nearby park. Many people cheered as the team moved the shark toward the harbor.
However, the shark returned to the canal on Thursday morning. It broke through a barrier that officials had placed to block its path.
Then, rescuers removed an outer layer of nets to free the animal. They strengthened the remaining barrier to stop the shark from re-entering the space.
After that, the shark began swimming further away from the canal. Still, it continues to circle back toward the waterway mouth repeatedly.
Now, government officials have officially ended their rescue operations for the shark. They believe the animal will eventually return to the open ocean on its own.
Meanwhile, experts think warm water and abundant fish attracted the shark to the canal. Busan may see more sharks as sea temperatures continue to rise.
Additionally, Bukangi became a local celebrity during its stay. Over 1.6 million visitors came to see the shark, which boosted local tourism significantly.
Finally, officials expressed concern about the animal's health. Videos show the shark with a bloodied snout, and observers noted it was not eating well.