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Life Springs at KAIST: A Tale of Two Special Campus Families A Gift of Life on Teachers' Day: Baby Geese Born at KAIST Pond On Teachers' Day, a meaningful miracle of life arrived at the KAIST campus. A pair of geese gave birth to two goslings by the duck pond. < On Teachers' Day, a pair of geese and their goslings leisurely swim in the pond. > The baby goslings, covered in yellow down, began exploring the pond's edge, scurrying about, while their aunt geese steadfastly stood by. Their curious glances, watchful gazes, playful hops on waterside rocks, and the procession of babies swimming behind their parents in the water melted the hearts of onlookers. < As night falls on the duck pond, the goose family gathers among the reeds. > This special new life, born on Teachers' Day, seems to symbolize the day's meaning of "care" and "growth." This wondrous scene of life brought warm comfort and joy to KAIST members, adding the inspiration of nature to a campus that is a space for research and learning. < Under the protection of the adult geese, the goslings take their first steps, exploring the pond's grassy areas and rocks. > This adorable family is already roaming the area leisurely, like the pond's owners. With the joy of life added to the spring-filled pond, warm smiles are spreading across the KAIST campus. < The geese look around, surveying their surroundings, while caring for their goslings. > The pond has now become a small but special haven for students and staff. This goose family, arriving on Teachers' Day, quietly reminds us of the meaning of care and learning conveyed by nature. < The goose family shows care and growth, and warm moments together are anticipated. > --- On Children's Day 2025, a Duck Becomes a Mother In July 2024, a special guest arrived at the KAIST campus. With soft yellow down, waddling gait, and a flat beak, it was undeniably a baby duck. However, for some reason, its mother was nowhere to be seen. Given that it wasn't afraid of people and followed them well, it was clear that someone had abandoned the duck. Fortunately, the baby duck was safely rescued thanks to prompt reporting by students. < Two ducks found on a corner of campus, immediately after their rescue in summer 2024. > The ducks, newly integrated into KAIST, seemed to adapt relatively peacefully to campus life. As new additions, they couldn't blend in with the existing goose flock that had settled on campus, but the geese didn't ostracize them either. Perhaps because they were awkward neighbors, there was hope that the ducks would soon join the existing goose flock. < Following their rescue based on a student's report in summer 2024, the ducks adapted to campus life under the protection of the campus facility team and Professor Won Do Heo. > Professor Won Do Heo of the Department of Biological Sciences, widely known as "Goose Dad," stepped forward to protect them along with the KAIST facility team. Professor Heo is well-known for consistently observing and protecting the campus geese and ducks, which are practically symbols of KAIST. Thanks to the care of the staff and Professor Heo, the two ducks were safely released back onto campus approximately one month after their rescue. < A moment on campus: Before winter, the ducks lived separately from the goose flock, maintaining a certain distance. While there were no conflicts, they rarely socialized. > However, as winter passed, sad news arrived. One duck went missing, and the remaining one was found injured by the pond. While the policy of the facility team and Professor Heo was to minimize intervention to allow campus animals to maintain their natural state, saving the injured duck was the top priority. After being isolated again for a month of recovery, the duck fully recovered and was able to greet spring under the sun. < The mother duck left alone in winter: One went missing, and the remaining one was found injured. After indoor isolation and recovery, she was released back onto campus in the spring. > As spring, the ducks' breeding season, began, Professor Heo decided to offer a little more help. When signs of egg-laying appeared, he consistently provided "special meals for pregnant mothers" throughout March. On the morning of May 5th, Children's Day, 28 days after the mother duck began incubating her eggs with the care and attention of KAIST members, new life finally hatched. It was a precious outcome achieved solely by the duck that had survived abandonment and injury, with no special protection other than food. The duck, having overcome hardship and injury to stand alone, has now formed a new family. Although there is still some distance from the existing goose flock, it is expected that they will naturally find their place in the campus ecosystem, as KAIST's geese are not aggressive or exclusive. The KAIST goose flock already has experience protecting and raising five ducklings. < A new beginning by the pond on Children's Day: On the morning of May 5th, the 28th day of incubation, four ducklings hatched by the pond. This was a natural hatching, achieved without protective equipment. > A single duck brought a special spring to the KAIST campus on Children's Day. The outcome achieved by that small life, leading to the birth of a new family, also symbolizes the harmonious coexistence of people and animals on the KAIST campus. The careful intervention of KAIST members, providing only the necessary assistance from rescue to hatching, makes us reconsider what "desirable coexistence between animals and people" truly means.
2025.05.21 View 8158