Animal Poaching

[Anchor Lead]

Poaching of wild animals wandering in search of prey in the cold season has been rampant lately. Even gorals, a natural monument of Korea, are facing a growing threat from poachers. Here's more

[Pkg]

A young goral tries desperately to escape from a snare made of metal chains. As soon as the animal is set free, it runs away as fast as it can. This mountain located 165 meters above sea level and with steep slopes of over 60 degrees is an ideal habitat for wild animals, because it is not easily accessible by humans. But this does not mean that animals here are protected from poachers. In no time, you can spot the body of a water deer cut by a sharp tool. There are also snares hidden among the trees on mountain slopes. All of them appear to be new. This means they were installed less than a month ago. Animals that become trapped in snares cannot escape on their own. Poachers target wild animals that roam the mountain in search of prey.

[Soundbite] Ahn Jae-yong(Yanggu Goral Restoration Center) : "Many wild animals descend to low-lying areas in February when there is little food to eat. Poachers install snares in areas frequented by animals."

This trap was probably installed by a professional poacher.

[Soundbite] Yoon Jong-sung(Korea Goral Protection Association) : "This snare was tied up with straw. This one, too. There is no way to escape the traps."

Some 36,000 poaching tools were found on mountains nationwide over the past three years.