An endangered dusky shark that had been trapped in a canal in South Korea’s southeastern port city of Busan for more than a month returned hours after authorities guided it out to sea, local media reported on Thursday.
The female shark, nicknamed Bukang-i, was spotted on Thursday morning near the entrance to the canal at Busan’s North Port Waterfront Park after crossing a floating barrier late on Wednesday, according to The Korea Herald.
It was the second time the shark had slipped past barriers following rescue attempts.
Authorities had declared Wednesday’s operation successful at around 6.10 pm local time (0910GMT), but the shark was seen crossing the barrier again at around 11.05 pm (1405GMT).
Officials are considering reinforcing the barriers or capturing the shark and transporting it to open waters.
Lee Gwang-seok, an official with the oceans and fisheries ministry, said Bukang-i was unlikely to slip past more barriers and move farther up the canal, considering the density of the nets and the narrow waterway in that section that leaves little room for the shark to squeeze through.
The shark’s repeated returns have puzzled authorities, who remain concerned about its deteriorating health and falling water temperatures.
The National Institute of Fisheries Science has not observed Bukang-i feeding, while apparent injuries and footage showing it striking a canal wall have raised further concerns.
Sharing the Korean name of Busan’s North Port, where it was first spotted in mid-September, Bukang-i has become a major local tourist attraction as it slowly circled the canal, its fins slicing through the water’s surface. It has drawn more than 1.6 million visitors as of Sunday, according to Yonhap News Agency.
Previous rescue attempts on September 29 and October 2 failed. Authorities fear the shark could die if temperatures continue to fall.
