Wild Badgers Appear Downtown, Bite Residents... Jecheon Captures Five Wild Badgers

Appeared in parks and elsewhere last July, attacking people
Captured early last month and released on a remote wooded hill

After wild badgers appeared in a downtown park in Jecheon, Chungcheongbuk-do, and attacked citizens and others starting in July, the city captured five badgers in an emergency operation and then released them.

According to Yonhap News and Jecheon City on October 12, a badger bit a pet at a park in Cheongjeon-dong in early July. Later that month, a woman in her 70s was bitten in 14 places, including her legs, hands and side, while out for a walk.

A captured wild badger. Provided by Jecheon City.

According to a recent broadcast of JTBC's "Case Chief," informant A visited the park on July 30. The park is just two to three minutes from her home, and she had often walked there after dinner for eight years. On the day of the attack, A was walking as usual when she spotted several wild animals on the trail. Thinking she should not provoke them, she stayed put and waited for about a minute and a half. The attack happened in an instant. After confirming that the animals had gone into the woods, she was walking along the trail again when one, believed to be the mother, suddenly charged at her. A was reportedly bitten repeatedly on both legs, her thighs and her side, and attacked more than 14 times.

A screamed, "Help me," but there was no one nearby to assist her. She eventually managed to push the animal away with all her strength and take refuge on a bench. The animal continued to circle the bench where she had sought shelter, then charged at another citizen at the scene. The person fell and injured their shoulder. A was finally able to get away from the scene after firefighters arrived. Given the risk of infection, she received disinfectant treatment. Her injuries were so serious that she reportedly underwent surgery to stitch the wounds under general anesthesia.

Jecheon City said on October 12 that, together with the Korea Wildlife Management Association, it had captured five wild badgers alive and released them on a wooded hill in Myeongdo-ri, Bongyang-eup, about 10 kilometers from the park. The release came more than 70 days after the city began emergency trapping by setting up capture cages. The badgers are believed to be a family: three fully grown animals measuring 70 centimeters and two cubs measuring 40 centimeters.

A Jecheon City official said, "Since the badger family was captured, there have been no signs of digging in the park while foraging for food, and no further badger sightings." The city plans to continue trapping through the end of this month, before the badgers hibernate, in case of an emergency, while maintaining surveillance and safety measures around the park.

A city official said, "Some have pointed out that badgers play an ecological role by eating pests and snakes. Rather than pursuing indiscriminate eradication, we are looking for ways for people and nature to coexist in harmony while ensuring public safety." The official added, "We will continue thorough surveillance and safety management so that citizens can use the park with peace of mind."

Badgers once came close to extinction after becoming targets of poaching due to the folk belief that their gallbladders were beneficial to health. In recent years, however, their population has recovered, and they can now be found throughout the forests of the Korean Peninsula. Badgers may carry rabies, canine distemper and mange, so caution is advised. Rabies can be transmitted to people, while canine distemper and mange can spread to pets. People should also bear in mind that feeding badgers can disrupt nature.

According to guidance from the National Institute of Biological Resources on preventing accidents, you should not approach or touch a badger, or feed it by hand, just because it looks cute. Badgers are more sensitive than usual during the cub-rearing season, from May to October, so extra caution is needed. They may also perceive pets as competitors, so take particular care when walking with a pet.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.