Famed dusky shark keeps returning to Busan waterway, baffling rescuers

A celebrated dusky shark in South Korea remains lingering near the mouth of a Busan canal, a day after rescuers spent more than eight hours guiding it towards the open sea, with the animal repeatedly circling back to the waterway it has made its home.

The shark, nicknamed Bukangi, became an unlikely sensation after it was first spotted in the canal in the south-eastern port city last month. For weeks, rescuers tried in vain to coax it back to open water using large nets, with two earlier attempts failing before Wednesday's livestreamed operation.

That effort appeared to succeed. Hundreds of admiring fans gathered at the park overlooking the canal to cheer and wave goodbye as workers delicately steered the three-metre animal towards a harbour. By Thursday morning, however, Bukangi had reportedly swum back into the canal after breaking through a barrier installed by the authorities.

For a time the shark was trapped in a tight space between two layers of nets. Rescuers freed it by removing the outer layer and have since reinforced the remaining one to prevent its return. A government official told the BBC on Thursday afternoon that operations to free the shark had concluded, though Bukangi has continued to swim further out only to circle back repeatedly.

It is thought the shark may have been drawn to the canal by unusually warm waters and an abundance of fish. As sea temperatures rise year on year, experts suggest Busan could play host to more sharks in future.

During the month it spent in the canal, Bukangi attracted more than 1.6 million visitors, giving a welcome boost to the city's tourism, and Busan embraced the animal as an unofficial mascot. Yet the authorities were also concerned for its welfare: the shark appeared to be injured and was not eating, and social media users have circulated videos showing what appears to be a bloodied snout. There were further fears that falling water temperatures would weaken it.

The rescue prompted mixed feelings in the city. Some residents argued the shark should stay. Cho Hannah, who travelled two hours from her home in North Gyeongsang province to see it, held up a cardboard sign protesting against the eviction alongside another demonstrator. Bukangi, she insisted, was "a rare gift" to Busan. "This shark has made this canal her home, and we are kicking her out unnecessarily," she said. "I am afraid the shark might die tangled with the net, or die out at sea."

Others took the opposite view. Yoon In-taek said Bukangi had seemed much larger when he first saw it on 18 September, and now appeared gaunt. "I'm worried for her health if she stays," he said. Shin Seungmin said it did not sit right with him that the shark kept returning, and that it would be best if Bukangi left, did not come back, and lived and fed freely in the open sea. The animal had "brought so much joy to us", he added, but "she should go and live her normal shark life."