Celebrity shark returns to South Korean canal despite efforts to guide it to sea

It is thought that Bukangi might have been drawn to the canal by unusually warm waters and plenty of fish. With the sea getting warmer each year, experts say Busan may play host to more sharks in the future.

In recent weeks, more than 1.6 million visitors have descended upon a park in Busan to catch a glimpse of Bukangi, named after the canal in which she was spotted.

Her popularity gave a welcome boost to Busan's tourism, and the city has embraced her as an unofficial mascot.

But authorities were also concerned about Bukangi's well-being as she appeared to be injured and was not eating. There were concerns that she would be further weakened by falling water temperatures.

In a livestreamed operation on Wednesday, rescue workers took more than eight hours to delicately guide the three-metre-long (10ft) shark with a net towards open water in a harbour.

Hundreds of adoring fans cheered and waved goodbye to their shark, unaware that she would still be lingering in the canal by the next day.

Before Wednesday's operation, there had been two earlier failed attempts to guide Bukangi out of the canal with nets.