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Wildlife Thriving in Cheonggye Stream

Posted May. 08, 2006 07:08,   

한국어

There were cases where herons and mallards have laid eggs in the deserted nests of winter migratory birds in the downstream area of Cheonggye Stream, but it is rare for them to lay their eggs in the mid-stream area.

Recently, schools of carps living in the Han River have been spotted swimming upstream to lay eggs in the Cheonggye Stream on Shindapchul bridge, which is downstream, and Hwanghak and Yongdo bridge, which are located in mid-stream.

Carps and birds moving to mid-stream of Cheonggye is a sign that the ecosystem in the area is improving.

Seoul Metropolitan Facilities Management Corporation, a branch company of Seoul city, announced that it found about 160 types of birds and fish inhabiting in Cheonggye Stream.

An official of the corporation said, “Cheonggye Stream water is clean, grade two, and rich in food such as plankton, making the number of birds and fish increase. There are carps 30 to 40 cm long, and some of them have been observed swimming to upper Hwanghak Bridge in order to lay their eggs.”

The corporation presumes that the number of fish swimming upstream to Cheonggye Stream from the Han River has increased because of the water canal for fish installed where Jungnang Stream meets with the downstream of Cheonggye Stream.

It has been surveyed that currently, diverse fish inhabit Cheonggye Stream. Chinese minnow, dark chub, stripped shiner, and minnow live in the upper stream, while catfish, dace, weather fish, carp, crusian carp and perch are present mid and downstream.

Dong-A Ilbo has decided not to report where the nest of the spot-billed duck family is in order to protect them. The facility management corporation urged people to report the nest of birds upon discovery by calling 02-2290-6885, or going to www.sisul.or.kr.



Tae-Hun Hwang beetlez@donga.com