SEOUL (ANN/THE KOREA HERALD) – As darkness falls over the West Seoul Lake Park, the park’s busiest visitors emerge – raccoon dogs.
These furry wild animals pay little attention to humans and their pets. While some moved away slowly when people approached, others were bolder, sitting right in the middle of the park’s main path, where foot traffic was heaviest. People, seemingly accustomed to the sight, simply walked past them.
The Korea Herald visited the park located in the southwest area of Seoul to explore the dynamics of this coexistence and the challenges of managing a growing urban raccoon dog population.
Among the 20-something people interviewed, some expressed indifference, others felt pity and a few admitted fear.
“I was scared at first, but I don’t care anymore. They don’t seem to care about humans either. Sometimes they roam around with their babies,” said Lee Young-in, in her 20s, who first saw raccoon dogs in the park two years ago.
Although many people interviewed seemed unconcerned about the wild animals, not everyone felt the same.
“I’m scared. Whenever I see a raccoon dog, I immediately pick up my dog in case it attacks us. They’re really huge!” said Park Sung-ah, 48, gesturing with both hands to illustrate the size.
At the park entrance, a group of high school students showed keen interest in raccoons and started chasing them, making loud noises. The startled raccoon dogs fled and continued running even after the students left.
Some were seen feeding the animals.
One woman in her 50s offered them cat food. Three raccoon dogs immediately gathered. “Otherwise, they will go hungry. What else do they have to eat,” she said. But she stopped when other people gathered around.
The park attributed the growing raccoon dog population to human feeding. Park manager Hwang Yoon-sung said they remind visitors not to feed them through daily announcements, warning signs and encouraging people to avoid contact with the animals. A patrol also monitors the park 24/7 to prevent feeding, he said.
Why are raccoon dogs increasing in urban parks?
Raccoon dogs, weasels and badgers are all native to Korea. But their presence in urban areas has been rising, a trend that has accelerated over the past 10 to 20 years, according to Woo Dong-gul, a researcher at the National Institute of Ecology’s mammal team and author of “Born in the Forest, Standing on the Road: A Field Scientist’s Record of Wildlife Roadkill.”
A report released in March by the city-run think thank Seoul Institute also showed that raccoon dogs have been spotted in 16 of Seoul’s 25 districts, with rescue cases steadily increasing.
Woo identified two reasons for this trend.
“First, these animals exhibit high adaptability, even in urban ecosystems, allowing them to thrive in limited spaces,” he said. Raccoon dogs are omnivores and can feed on frogs, rodents, reptiles, fish, birds, insects, mollusks, fruits, and leftover trash.
The reason he gave is urban expansion and habitat encroachment.
Improved urban green spaces in Seoul have also contributed, according to Choi Jin-woo, an ecological city specialist at the local environmental non-profit Korea Federation for Environmental Movements.
Koh An-ja, a manager in Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Natural Resources Division, said that the West Seoul Lake Park’s ideal conditions for raccoon dogs — including green spaces, hiding spots under decks and water-friendly areas — may have contributed to their growing population.
However, life in both the countryside and the city is not always idyllic or romantic from a raccoon dog’s perspective, according to Choi Jin-woo.
Last year, there were a total of 79,278 reported roadkill incidents involving animals, according to the Environment Ministry on Thursday. By species, cats accounted for the most cases (38,143), followed by water deer (18,267) and raccoon dogs (4,011).
How to coexist with raccoon dogs
Public perception of raccoon dogs is mostly positive according to a survey conducted by the Seoul Institute in March involving 1,200 Seoul residents. It revealed that 51.9 per cent supported coexisting with raccoon dogs while 14.7 per cent believed they should be removed.
Despite their generally positive perception, recorded incidents of biting by raccoon dogs occasionally occur.
Experts and government authorities strongly advise against touching or approaching raccoon dogs, underscoring that they are wild animals.
Signs posted throughout the park warn visitors not to feed or approach raccoon dogs. These guidelines stress the importance of maintaining a safe distance, as the animals may become aggressive during the breeding and rearing season, which spans from March to September.
In order to coexist with raccoon dogs, it is essential to understand that they are “wild animals,” said Woo.
“Wild animals must live independently. There is no need to empathize with them emotionally. It is not appropriate to think, ‘We need to feed them; they are pitiful’.”
Woo explained that bite incidents often occur when people fail to maintain proper distance.
“To coexist with raccoon dogs, maintaining distance is essential. Human intervention must be limited and handled with caution,” he said.
