Cattle Egret Colonies Near Apartments Cause Trouble for Residents in Summer

Residents of an apartment complex in Songwol-dong, Naju, Jeollanam-do, are experiencing serious inconveniences due to a colony of cattle egrets residing nearby.

According to Naju City on the 9th, over 1,000 cattle egrets have made their nests and are living in an area near this apartment.

These egrets have established their habitat while foraging along the banks of the Yeongsan River, but problems arose when a new apartment complex with around 1,500 units was built right next to the habitat in January of this year.

"Every evening, thousands of egrets cry out next to the apartment," stated one resident.

Residents have been suffering from the loud evening cries of the egrets and the unpleasant odors caused by their large amounts of droppings. It has even become commonplace to see egrets strolling through the underground parking lot, with some instances of the parking area being covered in droppings.

In the past month, Naju City has received over ten complaints regarding the egrets from this apartment complex.

Dilemma Between Wildlife Protection and Resident Comfort

Initially, residents acknowledged that the egrets' habitat came first and sought to coexist, but as summer progressed, they have begun filing complaints due to the worsening inconveniences. However, Naju City has not been able to propose a clear solution.

Cattle egrets are classified as protected wildlife, and especially in July, which is their breeding season, capturing or removing their nests is not possible.

Naju City plans to discuss countermeasures with representatives from the apartment residents and wildlife experts.

A Naju City official explained, "Even if artificial nests are created, there is no guarantee that the egrets will move their habitat, making it difficult to come up with a realistic alternative. Most herons typically leave the area around September, so residents may face these inconveniences for several months."

He added, "Given that complaints have arisen this summer, we will conduct a meeting to address the complaints and devise a coexistence strategy for migratory birds."

Naju City's concern about finding a balance between wildlife protection and ensuring residents' living conditions continues to deepen.

Image source: Residents near an apartment complex in Songwol-dong, Naju, are complaining about odors and noise from the cattle egret colonies residing nearby. / News1, News1