A dusky shark nicknamed Bukangi remained near the mouth of a canal in Busan, South Korea, on Thursday, October 22, 2026, following an effort to return it to the sea. Rescuers spent more than eight hours on Wednesday, October 21, guiding the three-meter-long (10ft) shark toward a harbor, but the animal has since attempted to return to the waterway.
The shark was first spotted in the canal on September 18 and became a local attraction, drawing more than 1.6 million visitors over the past month. While the city of Busan adopted the shark as an unofficial mascot, officials expressed concerns regarding its health, noting that it appeared to have a bloodied snout and was not eating. Two previous attempts to relocate the shark using nets had failed before the operation on Wednesday.
During the livestreamed operation on Wednesday, rescue workers used a net to lead Bukangi toward a harbor. On the morning of Thursday, October 22, the shark reportedly broke through a barrier to re-enter the canal and became trapped between two layers of nets. Rescuers freed the animal by removing the outer net and have since reinforced the remaining barriers. Although the shark has moved further out, a government official stated on Thursday afternoon that it continues to circle back toward the canal.
The shark’s presence attracted 1.6 million visitors in about 30 days. Local businesses and the tourism board utilized the animal as an unofficial mascot.
For the animal itself, the move to open water is tied to health concerns; resident Yoon In-taek noted the shark appeared "gaunt" compared to its arrival in September. Experts suggest that while unusually warm waters and fish stocks likely drew the shark to the canal, falling water temperatures pose a risk to its survival. The use of reinforced net barriers is intended to prevent the shark from returning to the canal where it appeared to be injuring itself.
Experts suggest South Korean municipal authorities may deal with more large marine predators in urban waterways as sea temperatures rise annually. While some residents protested the relocation, citing fears the shark would die at sea, authorities prioritized the animal's return to a natural habitat. As of Thursday afternoon, October 22, 2026, an official stated they have concluded active operations to guide the shark, leaving the animal at the mouth of the harbor.