Calls grow to enforce ban on touching animals at South Korea zoos

Animal welfare groups and lawmakers in South Korea are calling for stronger enforcement of a law that bans zoos from allowing visitors to touch, ride or feed animals for entertainment.

The rule came into force in late 2023 under the revised Act on the Management of Zoos and Aquariums. However, a new survey suggests many facilities are still allowing close contact between visitors and animals.

Survey finds widespread violations

The Animal Welfare Research Institute AWARE examined 21 registered zoos and nine unlicensed facilities over eight months. Researchers reported that 20 of the 21 zoos were still selling food to visitors for animal feeding. 15 Zoos placed no limits on how much food visitors could buy.

And in 18 facilities, visitors could touch animals without supervision from zoo staff.

Animal welfare advocates say these practices can create competition and aggression among animals and may cause long-term stress.

Some zoos say animal encounters help educate visitors. However, the survey found that only three facilities provided species-specific information about conservation.

Animal welfare groups say the government should remove remaining exemptions that allow feeding or touching animals under the label of “education.”

Some zoo professionals also support reform. At Cheongju Zoo in South Korea, staff say they have ended feeding programs and now focus on educational activities that do not involve direct contact with animals.

Experts say zoos could instead use demonstrations, videos or medical imaging to teach visitors about animal biology and behavior without causing stress to the animals.

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