Two years have already passed. In October 2021, Island Love Veterinary Society, Jeju Animal Rights Act NOW and Jeju Vegan Life Environment Rights Act conducted a neutering (TNR) for 76 cats in Marado. At the time, Island Love Veterinary Society asked for help, saying that a resident who was taking care of a cat in Marado was neutering all cats by going back and forth between Marado and Jeju Island at his own expense.
In 2019, a Seoul National University research team estimated 130 Marado cats. After that, in 2022, another local animal group conducted two additional castrations (TNR), and from February 9 to 12, Professor Oh Hong-sik from the Department of Science and Education, Jeju National University, and researchers conducted a study on the number of cats in the Marado Natural Reserve for four days. As a result of ‘radius monitoring and activity’, it was reported that the number of cats was estimated to be at least 50 and at most 70. In addition, as a result of self-monitoring by the veterinary humanities researchers Seoul National University in Marado for several days in early February, they estimated up to 80 animals and said the castration rate was 95%.
Some ask, ‘How did it fall so much in such a short period of time?’ As much as on the road, it shows that the lives of wild cats are not easy.
Meanwhile, due to the Neutering (TNR) project, carried out in collaboration with animal rights groups and the residents of Marado, the population decreased rapidly in a short period of time.
While neutering Mara, I learned about the horned duck, which is an internationally endangered species. Looking at papers and data to write a column, I fell in love with horn auks from then on.
Everyone admires and is fascinated by the wonder of the little horned duck in the video meeting its parents, leaving a momentary hesitation behind before throwing itself into the sea while rolling over the cliff towards the sound of the duck horned parent on the cloudy black sea. . .
After that, with the help of the Island Love Veterinary Society, he created a plan to protect mallard ducks, and met with officials such as the provincial council and the provincial office to explain. At the time, nobody wanted to listen.
Fortunately, as of the end of 2021, complaints about the protection of antiquity were filed with the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, etc., and measures according to the protection plan are still ongoing. Unfortunately, however, the methods of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Jeju Island made ecological practices of animals show only an unpleasant composition of criminals and victims, which divided not only the residents of Marado but also citizens with different views. In addition, only the final decision to expel the cat from Marado was emphasized, and the progress of the work is also at a terrible level with no follow-up plan as well as scraps before and after.
The two meetings of the ‘Consultative Body Meeting to Prepare Response Plans for Reducing Biological Damage in the Marado Natural Reserve’ organized by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and co-operated by Jeju Island were held on January 31st and the second on February 17th. was tight.
In particular, many of the 2nd meeting attended by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Cultural Heritage Committee, World Natural Heritage Headquarters, Yeongsan River Basin Administration, Jeju Branch of Korea Bird Association, Jeju Island Environmental Policy Division, Sub- Department of Livestock of Seogwipo City, Laboratory of Animal Hygiene, and Professor Oh Hong-shik from the Department of Science Education of Jeju National University and researchers. A position to agree only with the opinion of taking cats out, and rather than respecting and discussing the all life that dwells in Marado, such as horned ducks and cats, rather than approving the official meeting’s public comments that ‘cats are subject to extermination and extermination’, a specific target was a body of half a meeting that condoned and ridiculed.
In the 1st and 2nd meetings, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Jeju Island have already expressed their position several times, saying, ‘The export of Marado cats has been decided.’ Although it had to be carried out with a specific plan, he unilaterally decided to take the cat out unconditionally, and the content was then hastily terminated by saying, ‘Discuss in a half-meeting body that makes comments that hate cats in without delay ‘.
The Ministry of Cultural Heritage did not suggest follow-up measures such as temporary protection facilities for cats until the end, and Jeju Island does not try to take responsibility for the lives of cats living in Jeju. It is as if they are playing their own league and cannot capture the opinions and wishes of the residents of Marado.
In an interview with a media outlet, he said, “Jeju vegans believe that any life should be cherished and respected for its lifestyle. However, as cats are currently being discussed as if they are being killed and culled, we have no choice but to speak up for them. If it were otherwise, I would have represented the arrogance.”
“Whilst fully sympathizing with the premise of protecting wildlife, measures must also be urgently prepared to protect cats, which are territorial animals. I wish I liked cats just 1/10th as much as a horned duck.”
Jeju Vegan is a group that participated in Marado’s Cat Neutering (TNR) program and has met the residents of Marado several times over the years.
So, we learn a little about how the opinion presented by the residents of Marado to the Ministry of Cultural Heritage on February 16 was written. Residents of Marado suggested that stray cats should be taken out as the following condition for the protection of horned ducks.
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“Due to the conditions of Marado, which is a nature reserve, taking wild cats out to protect birds is a prerequisite for the following.” (Some of the views of the Marado Residents’ Autonomy Committee were presented on February 16) Prerequisites-1) Among stray cats, register as domestic cats, confirm the intention of the residents who want to pick them up, and only the rest of the stray cats out. Precondition-2) Priority is given to shelter facilities (non-guaranteed activities/sanctuary) outside the Marado area to take out stray cats, and after taking them out, protect them until they die a natural death Collaborate with export on the premise of receiving monitoring. |
On the evening of February 17, when the second meeting took place, a resident reports that a text message arrived. “I believe it was sent by the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, but there is a saying that it was decided to take it out, so is there a shelter for cats to stay in?”
I was speechless at the moment of apology. What should I answer to the woman who runs the restaurant I met in 2021? He boasts that he still has nine bags of cat food in his warehouse to feed him through the winter.
Coexistence has the symbiotic meaning of helping each other and living together, but it also means respecting and recognizing each person’s way of life without losing a deep spiritual bond even if an inevitable environmental vacuum occurs.
Are the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Jeju Island aware of the deep thoughts of the residents who forgot about being sick and having surgery while taking care of the cat? There is still time. I hope the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Jeju Island will not break their deep bond and relationship.
# Kim Ran-young
Kokomung Kim Ran-young is the director of the Jeju Animal Rights Research Institute and the representative of Jeju Vegan (www.jejuvegan.com). A quick, easy, economical and healthy vegan (vegan) diet and lifestyle. Currently living with 11 rescued and abandoned dogs and two rescued cats.
