"Predatory shark" commotion turns out to be fake: What was found at the mysterious address in Fergana?

Sensational video reports spread across the Uzbek segment of social media claiming that a real predatory shark was being kept in the basement of one of the multi-story residential buildings caused widespread discussion and various concerns. This situation, which surprised many, was immediately put under control by the Main Department of Ecology, Environmental Protection and Climate Change of Fergana Region, and a special on-site inspection was carried out. As a result, what kind of "water monster" was actually being raised in the basement and the true reality of the incident were exposed.

Panic on social media: What was said about the "predator" in the basement?

This incident, which caused a stir on the internet in a short time, raised a number of questions among the population:

• Millions of views: Footage was circulated on Telegram and other networks claiming that a body of water was created in the basement of a multi-story building in Fergana and a shark was being kept in it;

• Safety concerns: The public emphasized that keeping such large predators under a multi-story residential building is dangerous and demanded urgent explanations and measures from the responsible authorities.

Department of Ecology intervened: Not a shark, but a Siamese catfish

Inspectors of the regional Department of Ecology arrived at the address indicated in the report and inspected the basement:

• Raid result and expert conclusion: As a result of the inspections, it was officially determined that there were no sea predators or sharks in the body of water, but rather a Siamese catfish (pangasius) was being raised there;

• What is a "shark catfish"?: According to experts, this fish species visually strongly resembles small sharks due to its body structure, fast movement, and the shape of its fins. For this reason, aquarium enthusiasts often informally call it a "shark catfish";

• Visual illusion: Due to this exact external resemblance and the exaggeration by those who filmed the video, an ordinary fish-farming situation turned into a mass panic.

Citizen's apology and the new location of the fish

The true owner of the incident put an end to the misunderstanding that arose among the population:

• Public apology: The local citizen raising these fish officially apologized for the misinformation and excessive concerns spread on the internet;

• Relocation to a private courtyard: In order to avoid causing inconvenience to neighbors and the public and to put an end to the discussions, he announced that all the fish had been safely removed from the basement of the multi-story building and relocated to a special area in his own private courtyard.

Have you ever seen a Siamese catfish (pangasius) and would you mistake it for a real shark based on its appearance? How do you feel about engaging in such fish-farming or other business activities in the basements of multi-story residences? Leave your thoughts in the comments!