Endangered Species 'Julgireogi' Spotted at Junam Reservoir in Changwon

The Eurasian Tree Sparrow is resting at Songyongdeul in Junam Reservoir, Changwon. [Image source=Changwon City]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Lee Sang-hyun] A single individual of the endangered species, the White-naped Crane, was observed in the agricultural fields around Junam Reservoir in Changwon, Gyeongnam.

According to Changwon City on the 4th, the White-naped Crane was first observed resting on the surface of Junam Reservoir on January 28, and since then, it has been living stably, feeding among flocks of geese in the nearby Songyong fields.

The White-naped Crane was most recently assessed in 2018 on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List and is classified as a species of concern.

It primarily breeds in the southern part of Lake Baikal, the Mongolian Plateau, northern China, and northern Himalayas, and winters in India, parts of Myanmar, and southern China, making inland observations rare.

In Korea, it has been known as a lost bird observed at the entrance of Gokneungcheon in the Han River estuary in 2003, Ganghwa Island in 2013, Hadong in Gyeongnam in 2015, and Seosan in 2020, recently attracting significant interest from bird enthusiasts.

Junam Reservoir has minimized lighting facilities such as street lamps since 2008 to create a stable habitat for migratory birds and has undertaken undergrounding of utility poles, which pose threats to migratory bird movement. Additionally, through efforts such as purchasing farmland for bird habitats, the number of geese has been increasing annually.

Moon Yong-ju, head of the Junam Reservoir Division, said, “Junam Reservoir is a pride of Changwon City, and we will do our best to protect the wetland environment and manage migratory bird habitats.”

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