SEOUL, March 16 (Korea Bizwire) — A recent report by the South Jeolla Green Federation has highlighted the severe gender imbalance among toads in the Seomjin River during the spawning period.
The report states that out of 540 toads captured this year, only 50 were female, resulting in a male to female ratio of 10:1.
This extreme imbalance has led to male toads displaying aggressive and dangerous behavior towards females, which has caused a decrease in the female toad population.
In some cases, females have been crushed to death by males during spawning due to the high competition for mates.
The decline in female toads is likely due to the disappearance of suitable spawning grounds near the Seomjin River.
Over the past five years, the male to female ratio has ranged from 1:3.8 to 1:5.7, and the current situation calls for an urgent investigation to identify the cause and find solutions to restore the population balance.
Image Credit: South Jeolla Green Federation / Cheongju City Office / photonews@koreabizwire.com
