For nearly two weeks, a three-and-a-half-meter gray shark has circled slowly through a canal in Busan, the great port city of South Korea, and in that quiet loop there is something people recognize: an animal that wandered into a human place and became, almost against its will, a shared story. The city gave it a name drawn from the harbor where it was first seen, and hundreds of thousands have come to watch, turning a stranded creature into a festival of attention. Beneath the celebration sits a simpler wish, that the shark find its way back to open water, and officials are preparing another a
Busan Embraces Bukangi, the Shark Stuck in a Canal and Captivating Thousands
The shark kept swimming past the boats or diving beneath them
Mark
Why has a trapped shark drawn 600,000 people?
Mimi
It's a visible, slow-moving drama in the middle of a city. People can stand at the canal and watch it, and the city gave it a name tied to the neighborhood.
Luke
Worth noting the 600,000 is the city's own count, and it started Sept. 19, a day after the sighting. So it's an official tally, not an independent one.
Mark
And the rescue on Tuesday failed?
Mimi
Five boats sprayed water to herd it, but the shark kept swimming past or diving under them. Crews gave up after hours.
Mark
So what changes on Friday?
Mimi
A net of 50 meters or more, stretched across the canal by boat, with another boat spraying from behind.
Luke
That's a tentative plan, and Kim Won-ho said it could happen as early as Friday. Nothing is locked in.
Mark
Is the shark in danger now?
Luke
Officials say they've seen no clear sign its health has declined. But they still call release crucial, and the source doesn't say how long it can safely stay.
Mimi
Which is why the city is treating it as urgent despite the affection.
El Pulso
- A 3.5-meter gray shark has been circling a Busan canal for nearly two weeks, and every day it stays trapped the tension tightens.
- Around 600,000 visitors have crowded North Port, with nearly half a million arriving during the Chuseok holiday, turning the rescue into a public spectacle.
- Five vessels spraying streams of water failed on Tuesday, as the shark dove beneath boats and kept slipping past every push toward the sea.
- Officials are racing to build a net at least 50 meters long, with a boat stretching it across the canal to funnel the shark toward the exit.
- The next release attempt could come as early as Friday, and the outcome will decide whether the shark returns safely to open water.
For nearly two weeks, a three-and-a-half-meter gray shark has circled slowly through a canal in Busan, the great port city of South Korea, and in that quiet loop there is something people recognize: an animal that wandered into a human place and became, almost against its will, a shared story. The city gave it a name drawn from the harbor where it was first seen, and hundreds of thousands have come to watch, turning a stranded creature into a festival of attention. Beneath the celebration sits a simpler wish, that the shark find its way back to open water, and officials are preparing another attempt with a larger net to make that happen.
For nearly two weeks, a gray shark about 3.5 meters long has been moving in slow circles through a canal in Busan, South Korea's largest port city. It was first spotted on September 18 at North Port, and the city soon named it Bukangi, after the Korean name for that harbor. What began as a curiosity has grown into a social media sensation and an honorary mascot, and city officials have embraced the attention rather than pushing it away.
By the city's count, about 600,000 people have come to North Port to see the shark since September 19, with nearly half a million arriving during last week's Chuseok holiday. Mayor Chun Jae-soo said Bukangi had naturally become part of Busan's story, shaped by the affection of its people.
Getting the shark out has proven harder than naming it. On Tuesday, officials sent five vessels into the canal to spray water and herd the animal toward the open sea, while crowds watched from shore and the effort streamed on YouTube. After several hours the crews gave up, because the shark kept swimming past the boats or diving beneath them.
Officials say they have not seen clear signs that the shark's health has declined, but release into open water remains essential. The next attempt, possibly as early as Friday, will use a net at least 50 meters long, stretched across the canal by a boat while another pushes from behind. Officials call the plan tentative. Whether it works is still unknown, and the crowds are likely to return.
For nearly two weeks, a gray shark about 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) long has been moving in slow circles through a canal in Busan, South Korea's biggest port city. It was first spotted on Sept. 18 at the city's North Port, and the city has since given it a name drawn from that place: Bukangi, after the Korean name for the port.
The animal has become a social media sensation and an honorary mascot. City officials have leaned into the attention rather than away from it. By their count, about 600,000 visitors have come to North Port to see the shark since counting began on Sept. 19. Nearly half a million of them arrived during last week's Chuseok holiday break, the Korean Thanksgiving.
Busan Mayor Chun Jae-soo said in a statement that Bukangi has naturally become a new part of Busan's story, thanks to the interest and love of the city's people.
Getting the shark out has proved harder than naming it. On Tuesday, officials sent five vessels into the waterway. The boats sprayed streams of water from tanks, trying to herd the shark toward the open sea. Large crowds watched from the shore, and the effort was broadcast on YouTube.
It did not work. After several hours the crews gave up, because the shark kept swimming past the boats or diving beneath them to avoid being pushed. It stayed inside the canal.
Kim Won-ho, a Busan City official, said authorities will try again as early as Friday. Experts say freeing the shark matters for its safety and long-term health. Officials have not seen clear signs that its condition has worsened during its time in the canal, Kim said, but they still regard release into open water as crucial.
The next plan is more elaborate. The state-run National Institute of Fisheries Science is making a specially designed net at least 50 meters (54 yards) long. A boat would stretch it across the waterway to channel the shark toward the exit, while another boat sprays water from behind to push it that way. Kim described those arrangements as tentative. "We're adapting our response to the situation on site," he said.
Whether the net succeeds is the open question. Friday's attempt is the next thing to watch, and it will likely draw crowds like Tuesday's.
Citas Notables
We're adapting our response to the situation on site.— Kim Won-ho, Busan City official
Bukangi has naturally become a new part of Busan's story, thanks to the interest and love of the city's people (paraphrased).— Busan Mayor Chun Jae-soo
Quieres la nota completa?
Lee el original en Boulder Daily Camera ↗
Business