Have you heard of the Korean local finless porpoise, or “Sanggwaengi” in Korean?

The small-sized marine mammal -- which goes by the zoological name neophocaena phocaenoides – does not have a pointed muzzle and a dorsal fin. It also looks like it is smiling because of the lifted corners of its mouth.

Its habitat extends from North Korea to Bohai bay in China but most of the Korean finless porpoises inhabit the South and Yellow seas around the Korean Peninsula. Some of the earliest recorded descriptions of the Korean finless porpoise can be found in various publications such as “Jibong Yuseol,” the first Korean dictionary written in 1614, and “Jasan Eeobo,” the first Korea marine biology book written in 1814.

Geographically and historically speaking, the Sanggwaengi should be regarded as a Korean indigenous species and is one of the globally endangered species defined in annex I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. However, the Korean finless porpoise faces a crisis of extinction, due to the lack of conservation efforts undertaken by people and the government.

An estimation by the National Institute of Fisheries Science shows a decline in the dolphin’s population and distribution from approximately 36,000 to 13,000 from 2005 to 2011. Recently, 249 Korean finless porpoises died en masse around the Saemangeum breakwater in Korea. More than 1,000 porpoises also die each year from entanglement in fishing nets. Since the Sanggwaengi is a mammal, it has to breathe above the sea’s surface every three minutes. It dies of suffocation when caught in fishing nets.

Worse still, its carcass is distributed to the market as gourmet whale meat and it is no secret that its sale is a ready source of income for some fishermen. If its population decline worsens, it is expected that the species will become extinct within the next eight years. Considering illegal poaching, it could become extinct even sooner.

Despite the worrisome circumstances, it is fortunate that various civic groups, such as the Korean Federation for Environmental Movement, currently carry out environmental campaigns called the “Sanggwaengi project.” Such civic groups could secure funding from citizens and create social consensus about the protection of the endangered species. Though a little too late, the NIFS has expressed determination to develop and provide special fishing nets from which finless porpoises can escape. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries will also designate the species as marine life that should be protected. However, the root cause of the problem still exists. The fundamental solution cannot be for civic groups to lead protection of the endangered species.

Take as examples, Baiji, an extinct species of freshwater dolphin formerly found only in the Yangzi River in China, and the Irrawaddy dolphin on the brink of extinction due to neglect by the Cambodian government. These cases show the absolute necessity for the government to play a proactive role in the protection of endangered animals.

On the other hand, the example of the Vaquita dolphin in Mexico -- the smallest and most endangered species of the cetacean order whose estimated population is just above 60 -- teaches us an important lesson about the role of the government. To protect the species, the Mexican government took active protection measures including the authorization of compensation of $37 million to be paid to fishermen and the constant operation of unmanned reconnaissance plane. The Korean government also should take immediate actions to protect the local endangered species.

Most efficient and direct protection measure is obvious: designation of Sanggwaengi as a natural monument. Designated by government according to Cultural Heritage Protection Act, natural monument is a natural and/or cultural feature of outstanding or unique value because of its inherent rarity, representative of aesthetic qualities or cultural significance. Specifically, The minister of culture, sports and tourism designates a natural monument among animals, plants, geology, minerals, caves, biological produce and extraordinary natural phenomena of outstanding historic, scenic or academic value. Once designated as a natural monument, it is taken care of by central and municipal governments under the principle of state of natural condition and original form. Conservation efforts include prohibition of and punishment for poaching and shipping out and medical treatment in designated veterinary clinics.

Sanggwaengi is definitely a Korean indigenous animal. It should be designated as a natural monument because of its historical value as shown in documents that date back to the Joseon era, scarcity as a globally endangered species and academic value as a small-sized marine mammal without a dorsal fin. Such factors should suffice for it to qualify. The fact that 14 species stipulated by the CITES have already been designated as natural monuments reinforces the necessity for the protection of the endangered animals.

We should remember that various Korean indigenous animals such as the tiger, wolf, lynx, local Formosan deer, local red fox and Dokdo Zalophus have been declared extinct due to our indifference. We should ask ourselves whether we should let the Sanggwaengi follow those animals’ path to extinction.

The Korean finless porpoise faces the imminent threat of extinction, as it is being unnoticed and uncared for at the moment. The government should take immediate action and play a protective role in protecting the Sanggwaengi so that the next generation will still be able to see the animal’s beautiful smiles. It should take instant and administrative action including designating the Sanggwaengi as a natural monument, assigning a special reserve for the species, cooperating with international institutes such as the World Wildlife Fund and United Nations Environment Program, and the prohibition of artificial structures in its habitats.

However, the most important task would be the establishment of shared understanding through various publicity programs, which would induce citizens to voluntarily participate in the protection measures of the government and civic groups.

By Choi Young-Kyun

The writer is a junior at Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies. – Ed.