Natural Monument Otters Found Off the Coast of Pohang

A natural monument otter discovered in the sea in front of Pohang Old Port, Gyeongbuk. (Photo by Pohang Maritime Police Agency)

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Young-wook] An otter, designated as a natural monument and a first-class endangered wild animal, was discovered in the sea off Pohang, Gyeongbuk.

According to the Pohang Coast Guard on the 16th, Senior Sergeant Yoon Jun-ho, who serves on a patrol vessel, spotted the otter around 6 p.m. on the 15th near the Pohang Old Port Passenger Terminal.

The otter freely roamed the sea in front of the Pohang Old Port Passenger Terminal for about 10 minutes before disappearing toward the Pohang Canal.

The Pohang Coast Guard confirmed the animal was an otter after verifying the video taken at the time of discovery with the Whale Research Center of the National Institute of Fisheries Science and the Korea Otter Research Center.

The otter is designated as a natural monument and a first-class endangered wild animal.

A Pohang Coast Guard official stated, “This otter discovery is considered a result of our ongoing efforts to create a ‘clean coastal sea,’” adding, “We will continue to work harder on coastal sea environmental cleanup activities.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.