Two elks cross Namdae Stream in Gangneung, 240 kilometers east of Seoul, on April 21, 2022. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Nov. 16 (Korea Bizwire) — The administrative city of Sejong is suffering from what is becoming a serious elk problem. An endangered species, the elk population has jumped in the Sejong area, causing complaints.
As of late last month, 349 complaints were submitted for the capture of elk in the area. Most of them involved elk feeding on farm crops, ruining them.
The National Institute of Biological Resources said the population density of elk in the South Chungcheong Province stood at 9.7 per square kilometer, the highest in the country.
Sejong, in particular, had an elk population density of 12.9 per square kilometer.
The Sejong National Arboretum killed 12 elk last month in order to protect the plants inside the arboretum.
The elk have been feeding on chrysanthemums, tulips and tree leaves at the arboretum, damaging the plants.
In response, the Daejeon Federation for Environmental Movement expressed concern for a lack of respect for life, calling on the arboretum to cease its elk cull and come up with measures for coexistence.
The arboretum, however, said that it was an inevitable decision, considering the expansive damage the elk have done to the arboretum.
“We plan to set up a 1-kilometer fence along the side of the arboretum to prevent the elk from entering the arboretum’s central area,” said Cho Nam-sung, director of the arboretum.
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
