Dogs gone wild roam Jeju, face deadly response
Published: 08 Oct. 2009, 03:58
Lee Chan-sik, right, chief of Korea Wild Animal and Plant Service’s Jeju branch, points a shotgun at a ranch while hunting wild dogs, inset, with his colleagues on Sept. 29 in Jeju City, Jeju Island. By Kim Yeong-ha
A KWAPS official leading the dog hunt project said the dogs wander streets and mountains and not only attack livestock, but could threaten mountain hikers and forest visitors.
The team that guns down wild dogs works in a group of five professional hunters. Its mission is tracking down and killing those dogs that pose risks to humans and other animals. Jeju authorities say the battle against the meandering packs will continue through Nov. 20.
The city government has permitted the shooting at Hanrim-eup, Roe Deer Observation Center and Jeju Jeolmul Natural Recreation Forest.
Experienced Jeju residents say the threat from wild dogs intensified from 2006. In July of that year three calves between one and three months old were attacked near an extinct volcano in Hanrim-eup. One died. In March 2007, 11 sheep raised on a tourist ranch were consumed by dogs gone wild.
Hunters said it’s no longer unusual to find a dead deer on the slopes of Mount Halla. In mid-August, villagers witnessed a group of ten wild dogs meandering threateningly. In September, hunters found a dead deer attacked by wild dogs in Jeju Jeolmul Natural Recreation Forest area.
In efforts to help villagers unnerved by the attacks, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province last year passed an ordinance to compensate villagers who claim damages from wild dog attacks. The province has paid 200 million won ($170,800) in compensation for 175 farm families.
Bu Won-taek, an official at the provincial government, said the passage of the ordinance was necessary because “damage caused by wild dogs is overwhelming.”
Jeju province estimates there are at least 100 wild dogs on the loose. Though most were abandoned by villagers and only then become feral, many were born in the wild with little experience with humans.
“Second and third generation dogs born in the wild are more aggressive than [first generation wild dogs], and they become more aggressive,” said Kang Yun-ho, the head vet at Shinjeju Veterinary Hospital. “When a dog grows in the wild it acts very similar to a wolf.”
“Research to find out areas where wild dogs congregate should be immediately started and warning signs and alert systems should be installed immediately,” said Jeong Dong-ki an animal life science professor at Jeju National University.
By Yang Seong-cheol [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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