"Deer Captured on Udo" ... Changwon Special City Controls Population to Prevent Crop Damage

Jomyeongrae, Second Deputy Mayor of Changwon Special City
Confirms Capture of Deer on Sokuri Island

On April 18, Jomyeongrae, Second Deputy Mayor of Changwon Special City in Gyeongnam, visited Sokuri Island in Myeong-dong, Jinhae-gu, to confirm the capture of deer, an issue raised by residents of Udo.

Jomyeongrae, Second Deputy Mayor, Confirms Deer Captured on Sokuri Island.

The deer on Sokuri Island have become a popular attraction for visitors, offering enjoyable sights and experiences. However, since the population increased (with 10 deer originally released in 2008), the animals have crossed over to neighboring islands in search of food, causing damage to crops carefully cultivated by local residents. There have also been safety concerns due to the presence of large, fully grown deer.

In response, since October last year, Changwon Special City has captured 26 deer on Sokuri Island, administered vaccinations to prevent infectious diseases, and performed neutering procedures. The city also installed a turbidity barrier to prevent the deer from leaving the island.

The captured deer are being trained to stay within the enclosure by feeding them there, helping them form a habit of not leaving the island. In addition to the deer captured in March this year, Changwon City has confirmed the presence of deer herds on Udo and Eumji-do and is conducting additional captures. The city plans to carry out year-round monitoring to continuously manage the movement routes and population of the deer.

Jomyeongrae, Second Deputy Mayor, stated, "At this time, active human intervention is necessary to control the deer population in order to prevent crop damage for residents and ensure the safety of visitors." He also emphasized the need to implement safety measures to prevent injuries or dangerous situations for workers and bystanders during the deer capture process.