(image: Seosan City Office)
SEOUL, Jan. 2 (Korea Bizwire) — The pelagic cormorant has been chosen as a species to protect by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries.
The decision was made to protect the decreasing number of pelagic cormorants due to climate change.
The pelagic cormorant is also registered on the watch list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and as such should be protected and cared for.
Pelagic cormorants are typically 64 to 98 centimeters long, and weigh 1.5 to 2.5 kilograms, the smallest of their kind. They are known to be covered with green-gloss black feathers.
They usually live together as a group on top of reefs or coastal cliffs, making nests of dried grass or seaweed, and lay three to four eggs at a time.
(image: Pixabay)
In China and Japan, there is a fishing technique based on the manner in which pelagic cormorants typically capture fish. The birds dive into the water to catch their food, such as shrimp and fish.
Unlike other birds, pelagic cormorants do not have highly developed oil glands, meaning their feathers can easily get wet. As such, they can dive as deep as 30 meters and remain submerged for about a minute.
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
