Busan is good

Bewick’s Swan Raised at Korea’s Only Substitute Wetland for Waterfowl in Eulsukdo Arrives in Primorsky, Russia

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The Nakdong Estuary Eco Center (hereinafter "the Center") announced that "Yeoreum," a Bewick’s Swan hatched in a Korean zoo, has successfully migrated from its temporary natural habitat at the Eulsukdo Substitute Wetland for Waterfowl in Busan to its natural breeding ground in Russia.

“Yeoreum” is a Bewick’s Swan born in June 2023 at Everland Zoo in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. The father “Nalgae” and mother “Nakdong” were originally wild migratory birds. In 1996, “Nalgae” was rescued with a gunshot injury near Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, along with his mate, and they have since been residing at Everland.

This migration marks the first successful case in Korea where a Bewick’s Swan hatched in a zoo returned to its natural breeding ground in Russia. It is particularly significant as it reflects a successful ecological restoration effort at the Nakdong Estuary—Korea’s largest wintering site for Bewick’s Swans—and a result of continued endeavors to protect endangered species.

• ●After hatching in June 2023 at Everland Zoo, “Yeoreum” was relocated in October 2023 to the Eulsukdo Substitute Wetland for Waterfowl under the care of the Center to undergo wild adaptation training.

• ●While living alongside wild Bewick’s Swans, “Yeoreum” naturally learned essential behaviors such as foraging, flying, and social interaction.

• ●On April 30, 2025, “Yeoreum” departed from Busan, passed via Hoeya Dam in Ulsan, then moved northward through Sinpho, South Hamgyong Province, and Kimchaek, North Hamgyong Province. On May 28, in the early morning hours, “Yeoreum” completed the 2,300-kilometer journey to the Primorsky region in Russia in just six hours. The migration was confirmed through GPS tracking equipment attached to the bird in October 2023.

Meanwhile, the Center, Everland, and the Avian Ecology and Environment Research Institute signed an MOU in June 2024 for the conservation of endangered species and ecological restoration. Since then, the parties have jointly operated a program for hatching and wild adaptation training of zoo-born birds.

This case has been recognized as clear evidence that birds hatched in zoo environments can return to the wild and successfully migrate and settle if provided with appropriate training and habitat.

Mayor Park Heong-joon remarked, “The fact that a swan raised at the Eulsukdo Substitute Wetland for Waterfowl in Busan has reached its natural breeding ground in Russia is a moving example that shows humans and nature can restore ecosystems together. We will continue to expand public-private cooperation to preserve migratory bird habitats like the Nakdong Estuary and contribute to the conservation strategies of the East Asian–Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP).”