South Korea succeeds in third attempt to move now-famous trapped shark out of canal

Bukang-i quickly became a surprise celebrity after she was first spotted in the canal. More than 1.6 million people visited the park just to see her. But experts grew more and more concerned, warning she might have only two weeks to live. They noticed she was hitting her head against the canal walls and that her fins were getting damaged.

Officials were also worried because no one had seen the shark eat since she entered the waterway. The canal's water temperatures were expected to drop in the coming weeks, which could make her even weaker. Marine researchers found cuts and scrapes on her snout and fins, likely caused by barnacles and oyster shells on the canal walls. Even though dusky sharks can go a long time without food, every day that passed made the situation more serious.

Rescuers had already tried twice before Wednesday's attempt, and both times they failed. During the first try on September 29, the shark kept dodging streams of water sprayed from rescue boats. She swam behind the vessels or dove under the surface to avoid them. The second attempt on October 2 used a large net, but it got stuck on the canal floor as the tide rose, and the team had to give up.

For the third attempt, the rescue team came up with a smarter plan. They attached the net to floating platforms called pontoons so it wouldn't get stuck on the bottom. Eight divers entered the water to help guide the shark and keep her moving toward the exit. Drones flew overhead to track her movements from above.

The operation began at around 10 a.m. on Wednesday and lasted about eight hours. Even when the net was just 50 meters from the exit, Bukang-i did not swim out right away. But by about 6 p.m., she was finally spotted outside the canal near a pier. South Korea's oceans ministry confirmed she had been successfully guided out, though she stayed near the mouth of the canal rather than swimming farther out to sea.

The dusky shark is listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The species lives in tropical, subtropical, and temperate ocean waters around the world. Officials hope Bukang-i will soon swim out to deeper, safer waters on her own. Warmer ocean water farther from shore would be much better for her health.

Busan's mayor, Chun Jae Soo, shared an emotional message about the shark on Facebook. "During Bukangi's 34 days in North Port, the shark became a friend to the entire country and a symbol of Busan, the nation's maritime capital. It's heart-breaking to say goodbye," he wrote. He added that the city would do everything it could to make sure she returned safely to nature.