World · East Asia & Pacific · 3 hrs ago
Stranded shark draws nearly 1.4 million spectators in South Korea
A female dusky shark has been trapped for weeks in a canal in Busan, South Korea’s second-largest city.
Named Bukangi after the waterfront park where she is stuck, the 10-foot shark has drawn nearly 1.4 million spectators since she was first seen in mid-September.
Officials have twice tried to guide her back to the open sea, but both attempts failed.
South Korea’s fisheries institute identified her as a dusky shark, a species listed as endangered, and more than 100 city workers monitor her condition each day.
Some people see her appearance as a possible warning about climate change, while others have embraced her as a local celebrity.
Sea surface temperatures around the Korean Peninsula rose 0.7°C over the past decade, more than twice the global average, and authorities have recorded more shark sightings and bycatch in recent years.
The city is continuing to watch Bukangi’s health, but no further rescue attempt is described.
A female dusky shark trapped in a shallow canal in Busan, South Korea, has attracted nearly 1.4 million spectators since she was first spotted in mid-September.
The 3-meter shark, named Bukangi after the waterfront park where she is trapped, has drawn crowds and gone viral online.
Authorities have made at least two unsuccessful attempts to guide her from the canal to the open sea.
The Busan city government deploys more than 100 workers daily to monitor her condition.
Some critics say her appearance may signal the effects of climate change on marine life.
- Who
- Bukangi, a female dusky shark, and the authorities and spectators responding to her presence.
- What
- The shark is trapped in a Busan canal and has attracted nearly 1.4 million spectators. Authorities have made at least two failed attempts to guide her to the open sea.
- When
- She was first spotted in mid-September and has been in the canal for weeks.
- Where
- A shallow canal in a waterfront park in Busan, South Korea.
- Why
- The reason she entered or became trapped in the canal is not stated. Some say her appearance may be linked to warming seas.
Green Party
Bukangi's admirers
Climate and environmental significance
Green Party
The Green Party said the shark's appearance is a warning and criticized the lighthearted response.
Bukangi's admirers
The public has developed affection for Bukangi, and her presence has become a spectacle.
Bukangi was first spotted in the canal in Busan.
South Korea’s Green Party issued a statement linking the shark’s appearance to climate change.
South Korea’s National Institute of Fisheries Sciences identified Bukangi as a dusky shark.
- Spectators
- Nearly 1.4 million
- Location
- Bukangi Waterfront Park canal, Busan, South Korea
- Species
- Dusky shark (Carcharhinus obscurus)
- Length
- 3 meters (10 feet)
- Monitoring staff
- More than 100 workers daily
- Sea temperature rise
- 0.7°C around the Korean Peninsula over the past decade
3 sources
What people are saying
The shark did not come here to entertain us.
In a maritime city like Busan, this encounter with wildlife has become a special part of everyday life.
is a stark reminder