Seoul’s Gangnam-gu announced on the 30th that, after confirming that one of two snakes recently found in a restroom at a subway station in the district is an internationally endangered species, the specimen was urgently transferred on the 22nd to the National Institute of Ecology in Seocheon-gun, Chungnam.

According to the district, the two snakes were found on the 4th in a subway-station restroom and were rescued following a report by station staff. The district immediately placed them under protection and posted a notice seeking the owner on the Animal Protection Management System (APMS), but no owner came forward during the notice period.

Subsequently, confirmation by the Han River Basin Environmental Office determined that one of the rescued animals was a Ball Python, classified as ‘Internationally Endangered Species (CITES) Appendix II’. Because the distribution of endangered species to anyone other than the owner is strictly restricted under relevant laws, the district, in consultation with the environmental office, decided to transfer the specimen to the National Institute of Ecology so it can be managed in an optimal environment.

In the district’s statistics on abandoned animals over the past three years, the share of ‘other species’such as reptiles and birdsexcluding dogs and cats, was 14% in 2023, 15% in 2024, and 6% in 2025, showing steady incidence. This indicates that not a few people keep exotic pets out of curiosity and then abandon them in public places when, upon reaching adulthood, they become difficult to care for.

A district official said, “Abandoning reptiles in public places can cause anxiety and fear among residents and is also a fatal form of abuse for the animals,” calling for responsible ownership.

After rescuing abandoned animals, the district continues protection and adoption support tailored to the type of animal. It subsidizes adoption fees for citizens who adopt abandoned animals, and, as the first among Seoul’s districts, provides one year of pet insurance to residents who adopt abandoned animals. Households that adopt abandoned animals are also given priority in the district’s companion-animal programs, such as operating holiday pet-care shelters.

Cho Seong-myeong, head of Gangnam-gu, said, “We will promote a culture of respect for life through swift rescues and transparent administrative procedures, and respond strictly to irresponsible acts of abandonment.”