Heat Poses Danger to Animals

Hens in this poultry farm in Hallim-eup pant in the summer heat.
Their movements are slower than usual, owing to the temperature inside their coup being 32 degrees.
Fans run constantly, and water is sprayed into the air outside which, coupled with the fans, acts as a sort of large-sale air conditioner.


Last month, a power outage occurred due to a sudden sharp increase in the amount of cooling equipment used to try and lower temperatures within the poultry farm. This loss of electricity resulted in the deaths of about 1,200 chickens.
Exhausted from the heat, the chickens don’t eat properly.


Egg-laying rates have also dropped by nearly 10%, raising concern for farmers.

INTERVIEW
Yi Jong-cheol / Poultry farmer
Chicken death rates have increased significantly due to the heat wave. Egg quality can also be affected in terms of freshness and shell condition. Weakened egg shells break easily. We are paying special attention to egg quality as eggs are what we consume.


This flounder farm in Daejeong-eup has also become very busy.
A machine that supplies oxygen to the seawater is on constantly, working to prevent the mass death of the flatfish as the water temperature rises and the amount of oxygen in the water decreases.


It is estimated that more than 30,000 farmed fish have already died in Jeju this summer.
Further damages could arise as ocean temperatures are expected to continue to climb.

INTERVIEW
Ji Sang-il / Fish farmer
I’m pumping in 99% pure oxygen In order to increase the amount of oxygen dissolved in the water. And to increase immunity, I’ve doubled the amount of additives that I give, like vitamin C, tonics, nutritional supplements, immune boosters, and digestive agents.


With Jeju Island hitting highs of sometimes well over 30 degrees each day, the animals being raised on land are in severe danger of heat exhaustion, with those under the waves at risk of oxygen deprivation.