SEOUL, Feb. 24 (Korea Bizwire) — The environment ministry said Wednesday it has signed an agreement with 10 public wildlife rescue centers to protect abandoned foreign animals.
The agreement focuses on protecting abandoned foreign animals including raccoons, meerkats, foxes and prairie dogs.
Based on the agreement, the ministry and regional governments will provide administrative and financial support.
The rescue centers will be in charge of keeping abandoned foreign animals safe and healthy for the next two years.
Heightened interest in wildlife has led to an increasing number of foreign animals being abandoned, posing a risk to the local ecosystem.
The number of abandoned foreign animals jumped from 204 in 2019 to 309 in 2020 and 301 in 2021.
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