Five new cubs born in Korean red fox restoration project

Seoul Grand Park

Seoul Grand Park successfully bred five endangered Korean red foxes last month, marking a second consecutive year of successful reproduction, officials said Thursday.

The achievement comes as part of a restoration project launched in 2012 by the Environment Ministry and Korea National Park Service to reintroduce the native fox, also known as the Korean red fox, to the wild.

Seoul Grand Park signed a research agreement with the national park authority in 2022 and brought in foxes for breeding. Last year, five cubs were born. With the latest births, the park now houses 16 native foxes.

As of September last year, approximately 120 native foxes were confirmed to be living in the wild nationwide, according to the Environment Ministry.

The Korean red fox is classified as a first-grade endangered species under the Wildlife Protection and Management Act, along with tigers, otters, black bears, wolves and true seals. Capturing or collecting these animals is punishable by up to five years in prison or a fine ranging from 5 million to 50 million won.

Seoul Grand Park plans to eventually release the foxes into the wild after training them to adapt to their natural environment, in cooperation with organizations including the National Institute for Wildlife Conservation.