Endangered Otter Rescued After Turning Up at Welfare Facility in Haenam

An otter designated as South Korea’s Natural Monument No. 330 and Class I endangered wildlife turned up at a welfare facility in Haenam and was safely rescued by firefighters.

The report came at 10:36 a.m. at a facility in Haenam-eup. Responding authorities began a capture operation and secured the animal at about 11 a.m., roughly 24 minutes later. They handed it over to the Jeonnam Wildlife Rescue and Management Centre in Suncheon.

Officials believe the otter may have lost its way from nearby Haenamcheon. The species uses rivers and rocky areas as habitat, but can sometimes appear in urban areas when food is scarce.

Otters are native to Haenam and are regarded as an indicator of river ecosystem health. The mammals, which belong to the weasel family, typically measure 65 to 110 centimetres in body length, with tails measuring 30 to 50 centimetres, and weigh about 5 to 14 kilograms.