"It Moved, So I Looked Closer": Otter Spotted in Uijeongbu Stream During Walk

An otter, designated as a Class I endangered wildlife species and a natural monument, has been spotted feeding in an urban stream in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province.

According to tip-offs from a citizen and others on the 14th, a solitary otter was spotted around Buyongcheon Stream in Singok-dong, Uijeongbu, at around 9:30 p.m. on the 11th.

The informant said, "While taking a walk, I noticed a moving object in the stream and looked closer to find it was an otter," adding, "It was swimming in the water and feeding."

The otter then moved toward Gonje Neighborhood Park before entering Millakcheon Stream and disappearing from view.

Buyongcheon and Millakcheon streams, where the otter was found, are small urban streams where citizens frequently walk or ride bicycles, making them areas with regular pedestrian traffic.

Otters are protected species designated as Class I endangered wildlife and Natural Monument No. 330, living primarily by catching fish and other aquatic life in rivers and streams.

Previously, the National Institute of Biological Resources announced in September that 27 otters live along the mainstream and tributaries of the Han River, with 3 of them inhabiting Jungnangcheon Stream.

This latest sighting suggests that the otters have expanded their range up to Buyongcheon and Millakcheon streams, which are upper reaches of Jungnangcheon Stream.

(Photo provided by reader, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.