One Month After Improving Animal Cafe Exhibition Standards... Ministry of Environment Requests Facility Transfer

Communicating with the Industry by Visiting the Site

On the 18th, the Ministry of Environment visited a wildlife cafe located in Mapo-gu, Seoul, to inspect the wildlife exhibition facility and held a meeting with animal exhibition industry workers.

This meeting was arranged to mark one month since the enforcement of the amendment to the "Wildlife Protection and Management Act" (hereinafter referred to as the Wildlife Act) on the 14th of last month.

With the amendment to the Wildlife Act, wild animals such as raccoons and meerkats must be exhibited in facilities equipped with appropriate breeding facilities like zoos. Facilities such as animal cafes are given a four-year period to adapt to the new system, during which acts that cause stress to animals, such as touching and feeding, are restricted.

Some categories, including parrots, pheasants, turtles, snakes, and marine animals, are exceptionally allowed to be exhibited. Wildlife exhibition is also permitted if the business has obtained a license for the sale, import, or production of wild animals, or if the exhibition is for research or educational purposes.

(Provided by Ministry of Environment)

According to the Ministry of Environment, there are 157 facilities nationwide where wild animals should not be exhibited under the new standards, and these facilities currently hold 2,070 wild animals that are prohibited from exhibition.

These facilities must meet the requirements to convert into zoos or cease operations by December 14, 2027, when the grace period ends. Wild animals that lose their homes as wildlife cafes close will be placed in protection facilities being established in Seocheon, Chungnam, and Gurye, Jeonnam.

Ahn Se-chang, Director of the Nature Conservation Bureau at the Ministry of Environment, stated, "Considering the purpose of the legal amendment to improve animal welfare, we will create an environment where wild animals can safely inhabit even during the grace period, and request the cooperation of the animal exhibition industry to ensure that all animals are transferred to appropriate breeding facilities without omission."