Sinan-gun and National Institute of Ecology Release Endangered Chamdalpaengi Snails for the First Time on Hongdo Island

Successful Artificial Breeding of Chamdalpaengi Linked with Hongdo Island Daylily Festival

[Sinan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Jae-kyung] Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do, in collaboration with the National Institute of Ecology, released 20 artificially bred endangered wildlife Class II Chamdalpaengi (land snails) at their original habitat on Hongdo Island on the 8th at the National Institute of Ecology research facility.

Currently, the Hongdo Chamdalpaengi are mainly found near the village, and even in the primary habitat with the highest population density, only about 5 individuals per 100㎡ are found, indicating that the population size is very small.

The National Institute of Ecology introduced 5 Chamdalpaengi from Hongdo in 2018 and for the first time in Korea identified their basic life history. As of 2022, the number of artificially bred Chamdalpaengi has increased to a total of 65, marking a successful artificial breeding effort.

This Chamdalpaengi release was conducted in line with the schedule of the Island Daylily Festival held until the 17th under the theme “Hongdo Island Daylily Festival with Culture and Art” to enhance promotional effects.

The Island Daylily Festival is set against the backdrop of the terrestrial photo zones in Hongdo 1-gu to 2-gu villages and the daylily flowers blooming along the mysterious coastline of Hongdo.

For the Chamdalpaengi release, related organizations including the National Institute of Ecology, Sinan-gun Sustainable Development Council, and the Korea National Park Service cooperated.

During the Hongdo Island Daylily Festival, Chamdalpaengi booklets will be distributed to visitors and residents of Hongdo to promote the importance of conserving habitats of endangered wildlife.

The booklet will provide basic information about Chamdalpaengi and key identification features to easily distinguish them from similar species, presented in photo format.

Park Woo-ryang, Mayor of Sinan-gun, emphasized, “This Chamdalpaengi release is significant as a starting point for local governments to voluntarily secure and conserve endangered wildlife resources,” and added, “We will cooperate to induce voluntary protection of Chamdalpaengi habitats through education and promotion and utilize them as tourism resources.”