SEJONG'S NATURAL HABITAT IN DANGER

[Anchor Lead]

Sejong City is home to many streams and green spaces that serve as habitats for various wild species. But the city's ecological value is being jeopardized by urban sprawl. Measures are needed to achieve coexistence between people and wildlife.

[Pkg]

An elegant black body and a long white neck. The hooded crane is Korea's natural asset and an endangered species. The birds returned to Sejong this winter as well in search of prey. A family of whooper swans, another endangered species, is resting in a field in Sejong. With only a limited people able to access the region, even the water deer can hunt and rest freely without feeling threatened. The downtown area of Sejong is home to diverse wildlife thanks to the Geumgang River crossing the city and a vast field with ample food for wild animals.

[Soundbite] Choi Byung-jo(Sejong resident) : "It's great to be able to see birds and deer in the heart of the city. They remind us that we live close to nature."

But because of massive urban development projects, green spaces in the city are shrinking, posing a threat to wildlife habitats. Civic groups are demanding measures to promote coexistence between the people and wild animals by supplying food to them and demolishing a motorway that blocks animals' access to the river and the field.

[Soundbite] Cho Sung-hee(Sejong City Govt) : "People and wild animals must coexist. Spaces that are good for animals to live in are good for people as well."

Environmental policies are needed to help Sejong city preserve its status as a biological treasure trove.