First Export of Natural Monument... A Pair of Korean Otters, Male and Female, to Go to a Japanese Zoo

First Export of a Natural Monument:
Korean Otters to Be Sent to Japan as Early as April

To continue the lineage of otters already extinct in Japan, a pair of Korean otters will be sent to Japan.

According to the Cultural Heritage Administration on the 27th, the Natural Heritage Committee of the Cultural Heritage Administration, which investigates and deliberates on natural heritage such as natural monuments, recently reviewed and approved an application submitted by Seoul Grand Park to allow the export of one pair of male and female otters to Japan. Accordingly, as early as April, two Korean otters will be sent to Japan.

The male otter being sent to Japan was born in July 2018, and the female in June 2023; both have been living at the Seoul Grand Park Zoo. Seoul Grand Park explained, "We intend to donate Korean otters to a Japanese zoo to contribute to renewing the otter lineage in Japan and to raise awareness of conservation efforts for Korean otters."

An otter at Seoul Grand Park in Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, is opening its mouth wide in front of the frozen enclosure. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

Previously, Seoul Grand Park also attempted to send otters to Japan last year, but the plan was canceled. Seoul Grand Park agreed to exchange otters and lesser pandas with Tama Zoo in Japan, bringing a pair of male and female lesser pandas to Korea at the end of 2023 first. However, the export permit for the otters was not granted, so the trip to Japan was postponed. At that time, the Natural Monument Subcommittee under the Cultural Heritage Committee (the predecessor of the Natural Heritage Committee) pointed out, "This would be the first case of exporting a natural monument from Korea," and emphasized, "A thorough management plan must be established." Since then, Seoul Grand Park is known to have supplemented its plan to send the otters.

Otters belong to the Mustelidae family and are widely distributed across Europe, Africa, and Asia. Their body length ranges from 65 to 110 cm, tail length from 30 to 50 cm, and weight about 5 to 14 kg. They have a flat and rounded head shape. Otters are nocturnal animals mainly living near rivers or lakes; they rest during the day and dive into the water when in danger. They also have well-developed vision, hearing, and smell. In Japan, otters were officially declared extinct in 2012, and in Korea, they are considered a rare species designated as a first-class endangered wild animal and a natural monument.

Under current law, natural monuments are generally prohibited from being exported or taken out of the country. However, natural monuments that are "bred for research or exhibition purposes in specific facilities" can be exported with the permission of the head of the Cultural Heritage Administration, which applies to species bred in zoos.

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