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| ▲These photos, provided by Cultural Heritage Administration show storks. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL September 30 (Yonhap) -- Three pairs of natural monument oriental stork raised in Yesan county of South Chungcheong province started their journey towards their new home.
Cultural Heritage Administration and Yesan County government released three pairs of Oriental Storks from Yesan Stork park on Friday, after signing a protection agreement between Gimhae city, Cheongju city, and Seosan city.
Mansu and Chunsu is moving to Seosan city, Daechung and Hoban is moving to Cheongju city and Guemlee and Gwanlee is moving to Gimhae city.
Each pairs of Oriental Stork will be released back to nature with their babies after spending time at the facility between February until May which is period of oviposition and from March to July which is considered as brooding period.
Both Cultural Heritage Administration and individual city government has signed a protection contract so that Oriental Storks will be able to safely return to the nature.
The goal of the protective agreement is for the Oriental Storks to be able to settle down and live around the individual locations they have been sent off to be protected.
Oriental Storks were common until early 1900s , however, after the Korean War, population has decreased drastically.
After a pair of Oriental Storks which has been spotted reproducing in 1971, 20 to 50 storks were occasionally spotted heading south in Russia and China after 1990s.
Starting with receiving 38 Oriental Storks from Russia, Germany, Japan and more in 1996 Cultural Heritage Administration and Eco Research Institute of the Oriental Stork continued on with the project to restore the Oriental Stork.
In 2015 Eco Research Institute of the Oriental Stork released 8 of the Oriental Storks for the first time, in total of 195 Oriental Storks they have released 117 of them are accounted living.
“We need your love and interest for Oriental Storks to be able to live throughout our country.” announced Choi Eung-chon, the administrator of Cultural Heritage Administration.
“I hope all three of the cities will look out for the Orietnal Storks” adding “I hope the day where Oriental Storks will be able to freely fly around the sky of South Korea.” stated Governor of Yesan County, Choi Jae-goo.
(This article is translated from Korean to English by Joonha Yoo)
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