STORKS FALL VICTIM TO POACHING DEVICES

[Anchor Lead]

A stork was found trapped and injured near Cheonsu Bay in Chungcheongnam—do Province. The bird, designated as a natural monument and a grade-one endangered species, eventually lost one of its legs and cannot go back to nature. A number of protected wild animals have fallen victim to these poaching devices.

[Pkg]

A stork with the right leg bandaged up is moved to the intensive care unit. The bird was recently found trapped and seriously wounded in its habitat. It was rescued but had to have its leg amputated due to severely damaged bones, blood vessels and nerves.

[Soundbite] Jeong Byung-gil(Chungnam Wild Animal Rescue Center) : "It was rescued after struggling in the trap for a long time. It was terribly exhausted."

The trap that caught the stork was strong and lethal enough to break through even a bamboo tree. Recently, a dog from a nearby village got caught in the same type of trap and subsequently, injured seriously. Over the past three years, 35 wild animals like otters and eagle owls were rescued from such illegal traps in Chungcheongnam-do Province.

[Soundbite] Lee Jin-young(Vet., Chungnam Wild Animal Rescue Center) : "Poaching devices target all types of animals from birds to mammals. While they try to flee, the bones, blood vessels and ligaments are severed with their legs caught in traps."

The one-legged stork will be moved to a nearby research center as soon as its medical treatment is complete.