The wildlife of South Korea comprises many animals,

fungi A fungus ( : fungi or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, separately from ...

and plants. Wildlife refers to animal and plant species that live in the wild or natural state such as mountains or rivers. According to the South Korean Ministry of Environment, the rich diversity of South Korea's wildlife includes 8,271 species of plants, 18,117 species of animals and 3,528 species of others. 30,000 species are known to exist in South Korea, but it is expected that there are more than 100,000 species.

Animalia

South Korea is surrounded by water on three sides. The southern sea (

South Sea (Korea) The Namhae (), or Choson Namhae () in North Korea, is the region of ocean near Korea that is bounded by the southwestern part of the Sea of Japan and by the southeastern part of the Yellow Sea. The name is not known and used outside Korea. See al ...

) and the western sea of South Korea (

Yellow Sea The Yellow Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean located between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula, and can be considered the northwestern part of the East China Sea. It is one of four seas named after common colour terms ...

) have irregular coastlines. South Korea runs from north to south and it has complex

terrain Terrain or relief (also topographical relief) involves the vertical and horizontal dimensions of land surface. The term bathymetry is used to describe underwater relief, while hypsometry studies terrain relative to sea level. The Latin word ...

. Therefore, South Korea has various climate zones and high

precipitation In meteorology, precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravitational pull from clouds. The main forms of precipitation include drizzle, rain, sleet, snow, ice pellets, graupel and hail. ...

, and this condition leads to a diversity of wildlife. In South Korea, there are 18,117 species of animals. It contains 1,528 species of

vertebrate Vertebrates () comprise all animal taxa within the subphylum Vertebrata () ( chordates with backbones), including all mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Vertebrates represent the overwhelming majority of the phylum Chordata, ...

, 13,025 species of insect and 3,564 species of other

invertebrate Invertebrates are a paraphyletic group of animals that neither possess nor develop a vertebral column (commonly known as a ''backbone'' or ''spine''), derived from the notochord. This is a grouping including all animals apart from the chordate ...

Endangered wildlife

Article 2 of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act discusses endangered wild animals in South Korea. There are 246 endangered animals in South Korea, with numerous species in need of urgent conservation measures. Endangered wild animals in South Korea include: *

Leopard cat The leopard cat (''Prionailurus bengalensis'') is a small wild cat native to continental South, Southeast, and East Asia. Since 2002 it has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List as it is widely distributed although threatened by hab ...

is the country's only wild cat. It lives foremost in mountainous regions. *

Red-crowned crane The red-crowned crane (''Grus japonensis''), also called the Manchurian crane or Japanese crane (; the Chinese character '丹' means 'red', '頂/顶' means 'crown' and '鶴/鹤' means 'crane'), is a large East Asian crane among the rarest cran ...

occurs along

Imjin River The Imjin River ( in South Korea) or Rimjin River ( in North Korea) is the 7th largest river in Korea. It flows from north to south, crossing the Demilitarized Zone and joining the Han River downstream of Seoul, near the Yellow Sea. The river i ...

. *

Golden eagle The golden eagle (''Aquila chrysaetos'') is a bird of prey living in the Northern Hemisphere. It is the most widely distributed species of eagle. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. They are one of the best-known bird of p ...

ranges across the country. *

Siberian musk deer The Siberian musk deer (''Moschus moschiferus'') is a musk deer found in the mountain forests of Northeast Asia. It is most common in the taiga of southern Siberia, but is also found in parts of Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, Manchuria and the Korean ...

occurs at

Mokpo Mokpo (; ''Mokpo-si'') is a city in South Jeolla Province, South Korea, located at the southwestern tip of the Korean Peninsula, close to Yudal mountain. Mokpo has frequent high-speed train services to Seoul, and is the terminus for a number of fe ...

South Jeolla Province South Jeolla Province (; ''Jeollanam-do''; ), also known as Jeonnam, is a province of South Korea. South Jeolla has a population of 1,902,324 (2014) and has a geographic area of located in the Honam region at the southwestern tip of the Korean ...

. * Hodgson's bat *

Asian black bear The Asian black bear (''Ursus thibetanus''), also known as the Asiatic black bear, moon bear and white-chested bear, is a medium-sized bear species native to Asia that is largely adapted to an arboreal lifestyle. It lives in the Himalayas, sout ...

Mongolian wolf The Mongolian wolf (''Canis lupus chanco'') is a subspecies of gray wolf which is native to Mongolia, northern and central China, Korea, and the Ussuri region of Russia. Taxonomy ''Canis chanco'' was the scientific name proposed by John Edward ...

occurs in

North Gyeongsang Province North Gyeongsang Province ( ko, 경상북도, translit=Gyeongsangbuk-do, ) is a province in eastern South Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the northern half of the former Gyeongsang province, and remained a province of Korea until the ...

, Gangwon Province and

North Chungcheong Province North Chungcheong Province ( ko, 충청북도, ''Chungcheongbuk-do''), also known as Chungbuk, is a province of South Korea. North Chungcheong has a population of 1,578,934 (2014) and has a geographic area of located in the Hoseo region in the s ...

Harmful wild animals

Harmful wild animals are wild animals which damage property or endanger people. For example, harmful wild animals in South Korea include * Sparrow,

magpie Magpies are birds of the Corvidae family. Like other members of their family, they are widely considered to be intelligent creatures. The Eurasian magpie, for instance, is thought to rank among the world's most intelligent creatures, and is one ...

jay A jay is a member of a number of species of medium-sized, usually colorful and noisy, passerine birds in the Crow family, Corvidae. The evolutionary relationships between the jays and the magpies are rather complex. For example, the Eurasian m ...

crow A crow is a bird of the genus '' Corvus'', or more broadly a synonym for all of ''Corvus''. Crows are generally black in colour. The word "crow" is used as part of the common name of many species. The related term "raven" is not pinned scientifica ...

, brown-eared bulbul which damage fruit crops in groups over a long period of time. *

Pigeon Columbidae () is a bird family consisting of doves and pigeons. It is the only family in the order Columbiformes. These are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. They primarily ...

pheasant Pheasants ( ) are birds of several genera within the family (biology), family Phasianidae in the order (biology), order Galliformes. Although they can be found all over the world in introduced (and captive) populations, the pheasant genera na ...

elk The elk (''Cervus canadensis''), also known as the wapiti, is one of the largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia. The common ...

mole Mole (or Molé) may refer to: Animals * Mole (animal) or "true mole", mammals in the family Talpidae, found in Eurasia and North America * Golden moles, southern African mammals in the family Chrysochloridae, similar to but unrelated to Talpida ...

red squirrel The red squirrel (''Sciurus vulgaris'') is a species of tree squirrel in the genus ''Sciurus'' common throughout Europe and Asia. The red squirrel is an arboreal, primarily herbivorous rodent. In Great Britain, Ireland, and in Italy numbers ...

, some kinds of rat and

duck Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a form t ...

which have high population densities, and therefore damage agriculture, forests and fisheries. *

Magpie Magpies are birds of the Corvidae family. Like other members of their family, they are widely considered to be intelligent creatures. The Eurasian magpie, for instance, is thought to rank among the world's most intelligent creatures, and is one ...

which damage power facilities such as

utility pole A utility pole is a column or post typically made out of wood used to support overhead power lines and various other public utilities, such as electrical cable, optical fiber, fiber optic cable, and related equipment such as Distribution transfor ...

s. *

which damage residence with pigeon's feces or feathers. *

Wild boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The species is ...

roam the mountain sides, but have been coming down to the city centers in search of food. These animals are big, strong, and fast and can potentially be fatal to humans. *

Asian giant hornet The Asian giant hornet (''Vespa mandarinia'') or northern giant hornet, including the color form referred to as the Japanese giant hornet, is the world's largest hornet. It is native to temperate and tropical East Asia, South Asia, Mainland Sout ...

when they are grouped together they are ruthless insects that can destroy an entire hive of

bumble bee A bumblebee (or bumble bee, bumble-bee, or humble-bee) is any of over 250 species in the genus ''Bombus'', part of Apidae, one of the bee families. This genus is the only Extant taxon, extant group in the tribe Bombini, though a few extinct r ...

s. they usually live in large trees and they have been known to attack humans that accidentally run into their nest.

Flora

In South Korea, there are 8,271 species of plants. It contains 4,662 species of

higher plants Vascular plants (), also called tracheophytes () or collectively Tracheophyta (), form a large group of land plants ( accepted known species) that have lignified tissues (the xylem) for conducting water and minerals throughout the plant. They ...

and 3,609 species of

lower plants Non-vascular plants are plants without a vascular system consisting of xylem and phloem. Instead, they may possess simpler tissues that have specialized functions for the internal transport of water. Non-vascular plants include two distantly rel ...

. Wild plants in South Korea include Korean native species such as '' Pentactina''. Despite the

biodiversity Biodiversity or biological diversity is the variety and variability of life on Earth. Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic (''genetic variability''), species (''species diversity''), and ecosystem (''ecosystem diversity'') l ...

, ecosystems in South Korea are unstable because of land development. 67 km² of forest disappear each year. This means that 0.1% of total South Korean forests are disappearing each year. Abies koreana01

Distribution of plants

Korea can be divided largely into three biozones by distribution of plants. The groups are warm-temperate forest,

temperate forest A temperate forest is a forest found between the tropical and boreal regions, located in the temperate zone. It is the second largest biome on our planet, covering 25% of the world's forest area, only behind the boreal forest, which covers abou ...

and

subalpine forest Montane ecosystems are found on the slopes of mountains. The alpine climate in these regions strongly affects the ecosystem because temperatures fall as elevation increases, causing the ecosystem to stratify. This stratification is a crucial f ...

. Considering regional character of

Ulleungdo Ulleungdo (also spelled Ulreungdo; Hangul: , ) is a South Korean island 120 km (75 mi) east of the Korean Peninsula in the Sea of Japan, formerly known as the Dagelet Island or Argonaut Island in Europe. Volcanic in origin, the rocky s ...

and Jejudo, Korea can divide into five regions. Evergreen broad-leaved trees grow in warm-temperate forest. Warm-temperate forest in Korea includes the southern coastal region, Jeju Island and several islands of the southern sea which are under 35°N. Some of the species here include ''

Quercus myrsinaefolia ''Quercus myrsinifolia'' is an Asian species of tree in the ring-cupped oaks subgenus of the family Fagaceae. It has several common names, including bamboo-leaf oak, Chinese evergreen oak, and Chinese ring-cupped oak. Its Chinese name is ; piny ...

'', ''

Quercus acuta ''Quercus acuta'', the Japanese evergreen oak, is an oak native to Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and China's Guizhou Province and Guangdong Province. Description Due to its foliage and habitat, it looks rather unlike most other oaks. ''Quercus ...

'', ''

Quercus salicina ''Quercus salicina'' is an oak species found in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. It is placed in subgenus ''Cerris'', section ''Cyclobalanopsis''. The larvae of the Japanese oakblue ('' Arhopala japonica''), of '' Acrocercops vallata'' and '' Mar ...

'', ''

Daphniphyllum macropodum ''Daphniphyllum macropodum'' is a shrub or small tree found in China, Japan and Korea. Like all species in the genus ''Daphniphyllum'', ''D. macropodum'' is dioecious, that is male and female flowers are borne on different plants. The timber is u ...

'', ''

Castanopsis cuspidata ''Castanopsis cuspidata'' (Japanese chinquapin; Japanese tsuburajii, 円椎) is a species of ''Castanopsis'' native to southern Japan and southern Korea. It is a medium-sized evergreen tree growing to 20–30 m tall, related to beech and oak. ...

'', '' Ligustrum foliosum nakai'', '' Machilus thunbergii''. South Korea is dominated by temperate forest which takes 85% of its territory. Land between

Korean Demilitarized Zone The Korean Demilitarized Zone (Korean: ; Hanbando Bimujang Jidae) is a strip of land running across the Korean Peninsula near the 38th parallel north. The demilitarized zone (DMZ) is a border barrier that divides the peninsula roughly in ha ...

and the northern part of 35°N belongs to this. Common species in temperate forest are ''

Carpinus laxiflora Hornbeams are hardwood trees in the flowering plant genus ''Carpinus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The 30–40 species occur across much of the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Origin of names The common English name ''hornbea ...

'', ''

Carpinus tschonoskii Hornbeams are hardwood trees in the flowering plant genus ''Carpinus'' in the birch family Betulaceae. The 30–40 species occur across much of the temperateness, temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Origin of names The common English n ...

'' Maxim, ''

Quercus mongolica ''Quercus mongolica'', commonly known as Mongolian oak, is a species of oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The commo ...

''. A subalpine forest exists in the Kaema Plateau in North Korea or south-central's higher mountains. ''

Picea jezoensis ''Picea jezoensis'' (sometimes misspelled ''Picea yezoensis''), the dark-bark spruce, Ezo spruce, Yezo spruce, or Jezo spruce, is a large evergreen tree growing to 30–50 m tall and with a trunk diameter of up to 2 m. It is native to northeast ...

'', ''

Pinus pumila ''Pinus pumila'', commonly known as the Siberian dwarf pine, dwarf Siberian pine, dwarf stone pine, Japanese stone pine, or creeping pine, is a tree in the family Pinaceae native to northeastern Asia and the Japanese isles. It shares the common ...

'', ''

Abies nephrolepis ''Abies nephrolepis'', commonly known as Khingan fir, is a species of fir native to northeastern China (Hebei, Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Shaanxi), North Korea, South Korea, and southeastern Russia (Amur Oblast, Jewish Autonomous Oblast, P ...

'', ''

Larix gmelinii ''Larix gmelinii'', the Dahurian larch or Gmelin larch, is a species of larch native to eastern Siberia and adjacent northeastern Mongolia, northeastern China (Heilongjiang), South Korea and North Korea. Description ''Larix gmelinii'' is a me ...

'' and ''

Abies holophylla ''Abies holophylla'', also called needle fir or Manchurian fir, is a species of fir native to mountainous regions of northern Korea, southern Ussuriland, and China in the provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning. It is an evergreen c ...

'' can be found there.

Warm-temperate forest

: A sort of trees which reseed with Mt.

Seonginbong Seonginbong (성인봉) is a mountain located on the South Korean island of Ulleungdo, in North Gyeongsang Province North Gyeongsang Province ( ko, 경상북도, translit=Gyeongsangbuk-do, ) is a province in eastern South Korea. The province wa ...

as a center based on approximately 600 m altitude. Altitudes below 600 m have wild plants in the Southern province that are

magnolia ''Magnolia'' is a large genus of about 210 to 340The number of species in the genus ''Magnolia'' depends on the taxonomic view that one takes up. Recent molecular and morphological research shows that former genera ''Talauma'', ''Dugandiodendro ...

, ''

Euonymus japonicus ''Euonymus japonicus'' (evergreen spindle or Japanese spindle) is a species of flowering plant in the family Celastraceae, native to Japan, Korea and China. It is an evergreen shrub or small tree growing to tall, with opposite, oval leaves 3� ...

'', ''

Camellia japonica ''Camellia japonica'', known as common camellia, or Japanese camellia, is a species of flowering plant in the family Theaceae. There are thousands of cultivars of ''C. japonica'' in cultivation, with many colors and forms of flowers. In the U.S. ...

'', ''

Hedera rhombea ''Hedera rhombea'', the Japanese ivy or songak, is a species of ivy in the Araliaceae family native to East Asia. Formerly named ''Hedera pedunculata'', some subspecies could be subsequently classified as a distinct species. It is common on rocky ...

'', ''

Ardisia japonica ''Ardisia japonica'', known as marlberry, is a species of ''Ardisia'' native to eastern Asia, in eastern China, Japan and Korea.Flora of China''Ardisia japonica''/ref> Growth It is a low-growing, spreading very quickly evergreen shrub 20–40& ...

'', ''

Vitex rotundifolia ''Vitex rotundifolia'', the roundleaf chastetree or beach vitex, is a species of flowering plant in the sage family Lamiaceae. It is native to seashores throughout the Pacific. Its range includes continents and islands stretching from India east ...

'' and others. An altitude of 600 m or above has ''

Fagus crenata ''Fagus crenata'', known as the Siebold's beech, Japanese beech, or buna, is a deciduous tree of the beech genus, ''Fagus'', of the family Fagaceae. Distribution and habitat It is endemic to Japan, where it is widespread and often one of the do ...

'' and ''

Sorbus commixta ''Sorbus commixta'', the , is a species of flowering plant in the family Rosaceae, native to Japan, Sakhalin (in the Russian Far East), and the Korean island of Ulleungdo.Okayama University of Science''Sorbus commixta''(in JapaneseRushforth, K. (1 ...

''. Jejudo can be divided into coast vegetation and mountain vegetation. Coast vegetation consists of '' Sinomenium acutum'', '' Machilus thunbergii'', ''

'', ''

Centella asiatica ''Centella asiatica'', commonly known as gotu kola, kodavan, Indian pennywort and Asiatic pennywort, is a herbaceous, perennial plant in the flowering plant family Apiaceae. It is native to tropical regions of Africa, Asia, Australia, and islan ...

''. '' Reynoutria elliptica'', ''

Hydrangea serrata ''Hydrangea serrata'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Hydrangeaceae, native to mountainous regions of Korea and Japan. Common names include mountain hydrangea and tea of heaven. Growing to tall and broad, it is a deciduous shrub w ...

'', ''

Eleutherococcus senticosus ''Eleutherococcus senticosus'' is a species of small, woody shrub in the family Araliaceae native to Northeastern Asia. It may be colloquially called devil's bush, Siberian ginseng, eleuthero, ''ciwujia'', ''Devil's shrub'', ''shigoka'', ''to ...

'', '' Aconitum napiforme'', '' Schisandra repanda'' and others.

Temperate forest

The southern part of temperate forest is contained in a region 37°N at the west coast, 38°N at the east coast and inner land's temperate forest that is a southern part of 36.5°. There are common bamboo, ''

Acer palmatum ''Acer palmatum'', commonly known as Japanese maple, palmate maple, or smooth Japanese maple (Japanese: ''irohamomiji'', , or ''momiji'', (栴), is a species of woody plant native to Japan, Korea, China, eastern Mongolia, and southeast Russi ...

'', ''

'' and others. In Jirisan mountain, there are ''

Hemerocallis fulva ''Hemerocallis fulva'', the orange day-lily, tawny daylily, corn lily, tiger daylily, fulvous daylily, ditch lily or Fourth of July lily (also railroad daylily, roadside daylily, outhouse lily, and wash-house lily), is a species of daylily native ...

'', ''

Cornus officinalis ''Cornus officinalis'', the Japanese cornel or Japanese cornelian cherry, is a species of flowering plant in the dogwood family Cornaceae. Despite its name, it is native to China and Korea as well as Japan. It is not to be confused with '' C. mas ...

'', ''

Rhododendron mucronulatum ''Rhododendron mucronulatum'', the Korean rhododendron or Korean rosebay (; RR: Jindalrae), is a rhododendron species native to Korea, Mongolia, Russia, and parts of northern China. It is a deciduous shrub that grows to in height, with ellipt ...

'', ''

Abies koreana ''Abies koreana'' ( ko, 구상나무, ''Gusang namu''), the Korean fir, is a species of fir native to the higher mountains of South Korea, including Jeju Island. It grows at altitudes of in temperate rainforest with high rainfall and cool, hu ...

'', ''

'', '' Aconitum chiisanense'', '' Angelica gigas'' and others. In Mt.

Deogyusan Deogyusan, formerly spelled Togyusan, is a mountain in South Korea. Its highest peak is 1,614 meters above sea level. Geography Deogyusan stands on the border of Jeollabuk-do and Gyeongsangnam-do, covering portions of Muju and Jangsu Countie ...

, there are '' Aconitum uchiyamai'', ''

'', '' Acanthopanax sessiliflorus'', ''

Cimicifuga simplex ''Actaea simplex'', the baneberry or bugbane, is a flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae. A clump-forming rhizomatous herbaceous perennial, its native range includes the Kamchatka, Sakhalin and Siberian regions of Russia, western ...

'' and others. In the coast district, there are ''

'', ''

'', '' Camellia sinensis'' and others. The central part of temperate forest contains 39°N at the west coast, 40°N at the east coast and inner land's temperate forest that include between a southern part of 38° boundary line (

38th parallel north The 38th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 38 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, Asia, the Pacific Ocean, North America, and the Atlantic Ocean. The 38th parallel north formed ...

) and

Northern Limit Line The Northern Limit Line or North Limit Line (NLL) – 북방한계선 (in ROK) – is a disputed maritime demarcation line in the Yellow (West) Sea between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on the north, and the Republic of Ko ...

of south temperate forest. There are '' Quercus dentatomongolica'', ''

Acer pictum ''Acer pictum'', commonly known as yellow-paint maple, is an Asian species of maple. It widespread across much of China as well as Korea, Japan, Mongolia, and eastern Russia. Its natural habitat is in temperate forests. ''Acer pictum'' is a deci ...

'' subsp. ''mono'', ''

Betula costata ''Betula costata'' is a species of tree belonging to the family Betulaceae. Its native range is Russian Far East The Russian Far East (russian: Дальний Восток России, r=Dal'niy Vostok Rossii, p=ˈdalʲnʲɪj vɐˈstok r� ...

'', '' Zanthoxylum planispinum'' and others. In

Seoraksan Seoraksan is the highest mountain in the Taebaek mountain range in the Gangwon Province (South Korea), Gangwon Province in eastern South Korea. It is located in a national park near the city of Sokcho. After the Hallasan volcano on Jeju-do, Jeju ...

Mountain, there are ''

Hemerocallis dumortieri ''Hemerocallis dumortieri'' is a species of plant in the family Asphodelaceae Asphodelaceae is a family of flowering plants in the order Asparagales. Such a family has been recognized by most taxonomists, but the circumscription has varied wi ...

'', '' Ampelopsis brevipedunculata'', ''

Rhododendron brachycarpum ''Rhododendron fauriei'' is a rhododendron species native to Japan and Korea Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic Peo ...

'', '' Rhododendron fauriae'' and others. In

Odaesan Odaesan, also known as Mount Odae-san or Mount Odae (), is a major cluster of mountains and national park in eastern Gangwon Province, South Korea, standing at the junction of Gangneung City, Pyeongchang County and Hongcheon County. It stands at ...

Mountain, there are ''

Astilbe chinensis ''Astilbe chinensis'', commonly known as false goat's beard, tall false-buck's-beard or Chinese astilbe, is a plant in the saxifrage ''Saxifraga'' is the largest genus in the family Saxifragaceae, containing about 465 species of holarctic p ...

'', '' Berberis koreana'',

lily of the valley Lily of the valley (''Convallaria majalis'' (), sometimes written lily-of-the-valley, is a woodland flowering plant with sweetly scented, pendent, bell-shaped white flowers borne in sprays in spring. It is native throughout the cool temperate No ...

and others. In

Chiaksan Chiaksan is a mountain in the province of Gangwon-do (South Korea), Gangwon-do, South Korea. Its area extends across the city of Wonju and the county of Hoengseong. Chiaksan has an elevation of . See also *List of mountains in Korea References ...

Mountain, there are ''

Codonopsis lanceolata ''Codonopsis lanceolata'', also called deodeok or lance asiabell, is a flowering plant native to East Asia ( China, Japan, Korea, and the Russian Far East). It is a variety of bonnet bellflower. Description It is a hardy perennial climber that ...

'', '' Lactuca indica'', ''

Hieracium umbellatum ''Hieracium umbellatum'' (commonly called ''Hieracium canadense''), the Canadian hawkweed, Canada hawkweed, narrowleaf hawkweed, or northern hawkweed, is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. Distribution It is native to most of the temper ...

'', ''

Aconitum ''Aconitum'' (), also known as aconite, monkshood, wolf's-bane, leopard's bane, mousebane, women's bane, devil's helmet, queen of poisons, or blue rocket, is a genus of over 250 species of flowering plants belonging to the family Ranunculaceae. ...

'' and others. In Mt.

Taebaeksan Taebaeksan, also known as Mount Taebaeksan or Mount Taebaek, is a South Korean mountain with several important peaks of the Taebaek mountain range (in Western-style geography), or the Taebaek Jeongmaek Range (in Korean-style geography). It is an ...

, there are ''

Juniperus chinensis ''Juniperus chinensis'', the Chinese juniper (圆柏, 桧) is a species of plant in the cypress family Cupressaceae, native to China, Myanmar, Japan, Korea and the Russian Far East. Growing tall, it is a very variable coniferous evergreen tree ...

'',''

Taxus cuspidata ''Taxus cuspidata'', the Japanese yew or spreading yew, is a member of the genus ''Taxus'', native to Japan, Korea, northeast China and the extreme southeast of Russia. It is an evergreen tree or large shrub growing to 10–18 m tall, with a tru ...

'', ''

Juniperus rigida ''Juniperus rigida'', the temple juniper, is a species of juniper, native to northern China, Mongolia, Korea, Japan, and the far southeast of Russia (Sakhalin and Primorsky Krai), occurring at altitudes of . The species is also naturalized in th ...

'', ''

Pinus densiflora ''Pinus densiflora'', also called the Japanese red pine, the Japanese pine, or Korean red pine, is a species of pine tree native to East Asia. Distribution and habitat ''P. densiflora'' has a home range that includes Japan, the Korean Peninsula, ...

'', '' Viola diamantica'' Nakai, ''

Trientalis europaea ''Lysimachia europaea'' (formerly known as ''Trientalis europaea'') is a flowering plant in the primrose family Primulaceae, called by the common name chickweed-wintergreen or arctic starflower. It is a small herbaceous perennial plant with one ...

'', ''

Arisaema erubescens ''Arisaema erubescens'' is a flowering plant species in the genus ''Arisaema'', endemic to Nepal. Description The species' tuber is globose and is wide. It have 3 cataphylls which are dark green and carry white spots which are long and have an ...

'' and others. In Cheonmasan Mountain, there are ''

'', ''

Draba nemorosa ''Draba nemorosa'' is a species of flowering plant belonging to the family Brassicaceae. Its native range is Subarctic and Temperate Northern Hemisphere The Northern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is north of the Equator. For other ...

'' L., '' Eranthis stellata'' Maxim, '' Hepatica asiatica'' Nakai, ''

Adonis amurensis ''Adonis amurensis'', commonly known as Amur adonis and pheasant's eye, is a perennial plant with a golden yellow flower belonging to the Ranunculales order, and native to China (Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning), Japan (Hokkaido), Korea, and Ru ...

'', '' Heloniopsis koreana'' and others. In Mt.

Sobaeksan Sobaeksan (Sobaek Mountain) is a mountain of the Sobaek Mountains, in South Korea. It lies between Danyang County in the province of Chungcheongbuk-do and the city of Yeongju in the province of Gyeongsangbuk-do. It has an elevation of .Yu 2007 ...

, there are ''

Iris rossii ''Iris rossii'', the long-tail iris, is a beardless iris in the genus ''Iris'', in the subgenus '' Limniris'' and in the series '' Chinenses'' of the genus. It is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial from Japan, Korea and China. It has narrow, gras ...

'', '' Hylomecon'' and others. In

Woraksan Woraksan, or Worak Mountain, is a major mountain of the Sobaek mountain range in South Korea. Its highest peak is above sea level. It forms part of the boundary between North Chungcheong and North Gyeongsang provinces. Its slopes contain po ...

Mountain, there are '' Actinidia arguta'', '' Thymus quinquecostatus'', ''

Rubus coreanus 300px, (left to right) ''R. coreanus, R. thibetanus, R. corchorifolius'' ''Rubus coreanus'', known as bokbunja ( ko, 복분자), Korean blackberry, or Korean bramble, is a species of raspberry native to Korea, Japan, and China. It produces edi ...

'' and others. In Mt.

Songnisan Songnisan is a mountain and National Park in South Korea. It lies in the Sobaek mountains along the border between Gyeongsangbuk-do and Chungcheongbuk-do. Its main attractions are the temple Beopjusa and an especially picturesque peak, Munjan ...

, there are ''

Leonurus japonicus ''Leonurus japonicus'', commonly called oriental motherwort or Chinese motherwort, is a herbaceous flowering plant native to Asia, including Korea and Japan, and China to Cambodia. Description Plants are annual or biennial, growing from taproots ...

'', '' Angelica gigas'' and others. In Juwangsan mountain, there are '' Staphylea pinnata'', '' Jeffersonia'', ''

Fraxinus rhynchophylla ''Fraxinus chinensis'', the Chinese ash, is a species of flowering trees. Its leaves are used in traditional Chinese medicine Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an alternative medical practice drawn from traditional medicine in China ...

'', ''

Rhododendron schlippenbachii ''Rhododendron schlippenbachii'', the royal azalea, is a species of ''Rhododendron'' native to the Korean Peninsula and adjacent regions of Manchuria (Liaoning, Nei Mongol), Japan, and the Russian Far East. It is the dominant understory shrub in ...

'' and others. In the islands of the west coast, there are '' Machilus thunbergii'', ''

'', '' Epimedium koreanum'', ''

Scopolia japonica ''Scopolia japonica'', also Japanese belladonna or Korean scopolia, is a flowering plant species in the genus ''Scopolia'' - one of the eight genera in tribe Hyoscyameae of the nightshade family Solanaceae. The coumarins umbelliferone and scopol ...

'', '' Berberis koreana'', ''

Valeriana fauriei ''Valeriana'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Caprifoliaceae, members of which may by commonly known as valerians. It contains many species, including the garden valerian, ''Valeriana officinalis''. Species are native to all contine ...

'', ''

Schisandra chinensis ''Schisandra chinensis'' (common name: magnolia-vine, Chinese magnolia-vine, schisandra), whose fruit is called magnolia berry or five-flavor-fruit (from Chinese 五味子 ''wǔwèizi''), is a vine plant native to forests of Northern China, the ...

'' and others. The northern part of the temperate forest is in between a north limit of central temperate forest and boundary line(

). There are ''

Betula platyphylla ''Betula platyphylla'', the Asian white birch or Japanese white birch, is a tree species in the family Betulaceae. It can be found in subarctic and temperate Asia in Japan, China, Korea, Mongolia, and Russian Far East and Siberia Siberia ...

'', ''

Pinus koraiensis ''Pinus koraiensis'' is a species of pine known commonly as the Korean pine. It is native to eastern Asia: Korea, northeastern China, Mongolia, the temperate rainforests of the Russian Far East, and central Japan. In the north of its range, it g ...

'', '' Acer komarovii'', ''

Ligularia fischeri ''Ligularia fischeri'', known as gomchwi, Fischer's ragwort, or Fischer's leopard plant, is a species in the genus ''Ligularia'' (family Asteraceae). It is native to east Asia. Description ''Ligularia fischeri'' is a clump-forming herbaceous pere ...

'', ''

Rhododendron aureum ''Rhododendron aureum'' is a flowering plant species in the genus ''Rhododendron''. Larvae of '' Boloria freija'' feed on ''Rhododendron aureum''. ''R. aureum'' produces (-)- rhododendrol, (-)-rhododendrin, avicularin and hyperoside Hyperosi ...

'', '' Epimedium koreanum'',

rhubarb Rhubarb is the fleshy, edible stalks ( petioles) of species and hybrids (culinary rhubarb) of ''Rheum'' in the family Polygonaceae, which are cooked and used for food. The whole plant – a herbaceous perennial growing from short, thick rhizo ...

, '' Viola mandshurica'', ''

Lithospermum erythrorhizon ''Lithospermum erythrorhizon'', commonly called purple gromwell, red gromwell, red-root gromwell and redroot lithospermum, is a plant species in the genus '' Lithospermum''. It is called ''zǐcǎo'' () in Chinese, ''jichi'' () in Korean, and '' ...

'' and others.

Subalpine forest

In South Korea,

boreal forest Taiga (; rus, тайга́, p=tɐjˈɡa; relates to Mongolic and Turkic languages), generally referred to in North America as a boreal forest or snow forest, is a biome characterized by coniferous forests consisting mostly of pines, spruces, ...

doesn't exist in the lowlands. However, subalpine coniferous forest is found in highland or mountainous district in South Korea. Part of

Hallasan Hallasan is a shield volcano on Jeju Island in South Korea; it is the highest point of South Korea and the second-highest mountain in Korea overall, after Paektu Mountain. The area around the mountain is a designated national park, the Hallas ...

, part of

, fir forest of Jirisan and

Gotjawal Forest Gotjawal Forest is a naturally formed forest located on the middle slopes of Halla Mountain, Jeju Island in South Korea. It covers the rocky area of aā on Jeju Island off the southwestern coast of South Korea. Due to the geographical feature, t ...

in Jejudo are the subalpine forests in South Korea. At an altitude of 1200 m–1500 m in Hallasan Mountain, there is a coniferous forest which consists of pine, juniper, a Korean fir. Fruticeta is formed in 1500 m–1700 m and the

alpine zone Alpine tundra is a type of natural region or biome that does not contain trees because it is at high elevation, with an associated harsh climate. As the latitude of a location approaches the poles, the threshold elevation for alpine tundra gets ...

spread out above 1850 m. South-facing slopes have more mild weather than north-facing slopes. Therefore, its height extends a little more on the south side.

Endangered wild plants

Endangered wild plants are divided into first grade and second grade. Rhododendron aureum Kibanashakunage in kannondake 2003 6 21

''First grade endangered wild plants'' refers to species of plant in which the number is significantly reduced by natural causes or artificial factors. The species are selected by the minister of environment after a prior consultation with the minister of central administration organization. First grade endangered wild plants refer to the following species: *'' Malus komarovii'' (이노리나무): This plant is found in Korea and in China. The height is 5m. It grows deep in the mountain. *'' Cypripedium japonicum'' ((광릉요강꽃(광릉복주머니란) 난초과)) : It can found in

Namyangju Namyangju () is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. To the east is Gapyeong County, to the west is Guri City, and to the north is Pocheon City. Namyangju-si was originally a southern part of Yangju-gun, but was separated into Namyangju-gun ...

Gyeonggi Province Gyeonggi-do (, ) is the most populous province in South Korea. Its name, ''Gyeonggi'', means "京 (the capital) and 畿 (the surrounding area)". Thus, ''Gyeonggi-do'' can be translated as "Seoul and the surrounding areas of Seoul". Seoul, the na ...

. Its height is 20 cm~40 cm and it blossoms in April to May. *'' Aerides japonicum'' Reichb. fil (나도풍란 난초과) : It can found in

Jeju Province Jeju Province, officially Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, is one of the nine provinces of South Korea. The province comprises Jeju Island (; ), formerly transliterated as Cheju or Cheju Do, the country's largest island. It was previously kno ...

, which is the warmest region in South Korea. It has an

aerial root Aerial roots are roots above the ground. They are almost always adventitious. They are found in diverse plant species, including epiphytes such as orchids (''Orchidaceae''), tropical coastal swamp trees such as mangroves, banyan figs ('' F ...

. The length of the leaves is 8 cm~15 cm. *'' Euchresta japonica'' Hook. f. (만년콩 콩과) : It grows in forests of valleys in Jeju Province. Its size is about 30 cm~80 cm. It blossoms in July and its color is white. *''

Diapensia lapponica ''Diapensia lapponica'', the pincushion plant, is a plant in the family Diapensiaceae, the only circumboreal species in the genus '' Diapensia'', the others being mainly in the Himalaya and on mountains in southwestern China. This species likely ...

'' L. (암매(돌매화나무) 암매과) : It is found in Mt.

in Jeju Province. It blossoms in June to July and its color is white or pink. *'' Cymbidium lancifolium'' (죽백란 난초과) : It can be found in Mt. Hallasan in Jeju Province. Its height is about 10 cm~20 cm. It blossoms in May to July. This plant thrives in strong sunlight and its flowers are beautiful. Thus this plant has great value as an

ornamental plant Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that i ...

. *'' Neofinetia falcata'' (풍란 난초과) : It is found in the southern island in South Korea and Japan. Its height is about 3~15 cm. *''

Cymbidium kanran ''Cymbidium kanran'', the cold-growing cymbidium, is a species of orchid Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant. Alo ...

'' (한란 난초과) : It grows in the southern Jeju Province and its size is about 25~60 cm. ''Second grade endangered wild plants'' are species of plant in which the number is significantly reduced by natural causes or artificial factors. These plants have the possibility of becoming extinct in the foreseeable future. The species are selected by the Minister of Environment: *''

Euryale ferox ''Euryale ferox,'' commonly known as prickly waterlily, makhana or Gorgon plant, is a species of water lily found in southern and eastern Asia, and the only extant member of the genus ''Euryale''. The edible seeds, called fox nuts or ''makhan ...

'' (가시연꽃 수련과) : It can be found in Gyeonggi Province and Gangwon Province, but water pollution has caused a crisis of extinction. It grows in ponds or swamps. * Siberian ginseng (가시오갈피나무 두릅나무과) : It is found in Gyeonggi, Gangwon, and

. It grows in high mountain forests. It comes into blossom in June to July and ripens in September to October. *'' Jeffersonia'' (깽깽이풀 매자나무과) : It is an ornamental plant, but its root is used inr

herbal medicine Herbal medicine (also herbalism) is the study of pharmacognosy and the use of medicinal plants, which are a basis of traditional medicine. With worldwide research into pharmacology, some herbal medicines have been translated into modern remed ...

. *

Sundew ''Drosera'', which is commonly known as the sundews, is one of the largest genera of carnivorous plants, with at least 194 species. 2 volumes. These members of the family Droseraceae lure, capture, and digest insects using stalked mucilaginou ...

(끈끈이귀개) : It is an insectivorous plant and it grows on beaches in the South Jeolla Province. *''

'' (노랑만병초) : It grows in alpine region. Its height is near 1m. It blossoms in May to June and its leaf is used in herbal medicine. *'' Iris odaesanensis'' Y. N. Lee (노랑무늬붓꽃) : An endemic species in Koreak, it grows in the

South Gyeongsang Province South Gyeongsang Province ( ko, 경상남도, translit=Gyeongsangnam-do, ) is a province in the southeast of South Korea. The provincial capital is at Changwon. It is adjacent to the major metropolitan center and port of Busan. The UNESCO World ...

mountains such as

. It is usually used as an ornamental plant and its fresh sprouts are used for food. *'' Aster altaicus'' var. ''uchiyamae'' (단양쑥부쟁이) : It grows on sandy soil near streams. It blossoms in August to September and its flower color is purple inclining to red. It is a special plant in South Korea and it can be found in

Yeoju Yeoju () is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Yeoju was a county but was raised to the status of a city in September 2013. Together with the neighboring city of Icheon, it is known as a major center of contemporary South Korean ceramics, ...

, Gyeonggi Province, and

Danyang County Danyang County (''Danyang-gun'') is in North Chungcheong Province, South Korea. Symbols *County tree: Yew tree *County bird: Magpie *County flower: Royal Azalea Geography The geographical terrain is 83.7% mountainous and 11.2% cultivable. It is ...

. *'' Ranunculus kazusensis'' (매화마름) : It grows in a ditch (waterway) around a paddy field. Its distribution is in the southern province and west coast. It blossoms in April or May. Its flower grows to 30 ~ 50 cm and it bears fruit in June or July. *''

Isoetes ''Isoetes'', commonly known as the quillworts, is the only extant genus of plants in the family Isoetaceae, which is in the class of lycopods. There are currently 192 recognized species, with a cosmopolitan distribution but with the individual sp ...

'' (물부추) : It grows in shallow water. It was found in

Pyeongtaek Pyeongtaek () is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Located in the southwestern part of the province, Pyeongtaek was founded as a union of two districts in 940, during the Goryeo dynasty. It was elevated to city status in 1986 and is home t ...

in 1942; however, it died out in Korea and currently grows in Japan. It grows to 10 ~ 30 cm. The plant is dark green and resembles eggs. *'' Vexillabium yakushimense'' (Yamamoto) F. Maekawa (백운란) : Its size is 4 ~ 10 cm. It grows in mountains and forests in South Jeolla Province and

North Jeolla Province North Jeolla Province (; ''Jeollabuk-do''), also known as Jeonbuk, is a province of South Korea. North Jeolla has a population of 1,869,711 (2015) and has a geographic area of 8,067 km2 (3,115 sq mi) located in the Honam region in the southwest ...

. It flowers in August with one to three white blossoms. *'' Saururus chinensis'' (삼백초) : It flowers in June to August. It grows to 50 ~ 100 cm. It grows in the valley that is well ventilated and penumbra, and air humidity is high in Jejudo and Mt. Jirisan. *'' Viola raddeana'' Regel (선제비꽃) : It is a

perennial plant A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

that grows rare in a brook in South Gyeongsang Province and Gyeonggi Province. Its height is 30 ~ 50 cm. *'' Lilium cernuum'' Kom (솔나리) : It grows in mountainous regions. Its stem is thin and strong and it grows to 70 cm. It flowers in July or August. *''

Psilotum nudum ''Psilotum nudum'', the whisk fern, is a fernlike plant. Like the other species in the order Psilotales, it lacks roots. Its name, ''Psilotum nudum'', means "bare naked" in Latin, because it lacks (or seems to lack) most of the organs of typica ...

'' (솔잎란) : It grows on the coast in the southern part of Jejudo. It grows to a height of 10~30 cm. Its root is short and 1 ~ 3mm in diameter. *''

Wisteriopsis japonica ''Wisteriopsis japonica'' is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae, native to Japan, Korea, and the Ryukyu Islands. It was first described in 1839 as ''Wisteria japonica''. (The English name Japanese wisteria is used for a differ ...

'' (Sieb. et Zucc.) A. Gray (syn. ''Millettia japonica'') (애기등) : Its stem is thin and fragile and the stem's height is roughly 3m. Its scions have fur. It flowers white in July or August. It bears fruit in October. It grows in South Jeolla Province and South Gyeongsang Province. *'' Viola websteri'' Hemsl (왕제비꽃) : It grows in areas that have a lot of moisture. It flowers white in April or May. It grows to 40 ~ 90 cm. It is found in

Gapyeong County Gapyeong County is a county in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It was the scene of the Battle of Kapyong, a major battle of the Korean War. Administrative Region and Language Gapyeong County has one eup and five myeon, and its population i ...

in Gyeonggi, Sambang County in

South Hamgyong Province South Hamgyong Province (, ''Hamgyŏngnamdo''; ) is a province of North Korea. The province was formed in 1896 from the southern half of the former Hamgyong Province, remained a province of Korea until 1945, then became a province of North Kor ...

(North Korea), and

Paektu Mountain Paektu Mountain (), also known as Baekdu Mountain and in China as Changbai Mountain ( zh, s=长白山, t=長白山; Manchu: Golmin Šanggiyan Alin), is an active stratovolcano on the Chinese–North Korean border. At , it is the highest moun ...

(North Korea). It is a Korean endemic species. *''

Cyrtosia septentrionalis ''Cyrtosia septentrionalis'' is a species of plant in the family Orchidaceae. It is a myco-heterotrophic species found in Japan, Korea, Ryukyu Islands, and China (Anhui, Henan, Hunan, and Zhejiang Zhejiang ( or , ; , Chinese postal roma ...

'' (으름난초) : Called 'Gaecheon-ma', it grows in forests in Jejudo. Its height is 50 ~ 100 cm. It is a parasitic plant. Its root contains

hypha A hypha (; ) is a long, branching, filamentous structure of a fungus, oomycete, or actinobacterium. In most fungi, hyphae are the main mode of vegetative growth, and are collectively called a mycelium. Structure A hypha consists of one or ...

e of ''

Armillaria ''Armillaria'' is a genus of fungi that includes the ''Armillaria mellea, A. mellea'' species known as honey fungi that live on trees and woody shrubs. It includes about 10 species formerly categorized summarily as ''A. mellea''. ''Armill ...

'' (a mushroom). It flowers brown in June or July. *'' Polygonatum stenophyllum'' Maxim (층층둥굴레) : It grows in mountains and pastures. It grows to 30 ~ 90 cm. Its

rhizome In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (; , ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow hori ...

is thick and grows sideways. It blooms in June with a soft yellow flower. *'' Mankyua chejuense'' (제주고사리삼) : An endemic species of Jejudo, it is the only plant that was identified of its habitat. It was discovered in 2001. It preserves the primitive shape of

bracken Bracken (''Pteridium'') is a genus of large, coarse ferns in the family Dennstaedtiaceae. Ferns (Pteridophyta) are vascular plants that have alternating generations, large plants that produce spores and small plants that produce sex cells (eggs ...

. It is called 'Mankyua chejuense'. Its height is 10 ~ 15 cm. *'' Leontice microrhyncha'' S. Moore (한계령풀) : It grows to 30 ~ 40 cm. It is found in penumbra or fertile region in high mountain. It has three leaves. It flowers in July and August. It is used as an ornamental plant.

Wildlife in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ)

The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) Is the unmanned strip of land that exists between

North Korea North Korea, officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the northern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and shares borders with China and Russia to the north, at the Yalu River, Y ...

and

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

. The DMZ has been a representation of the two nation's tension for over 50 years and it is a contributing factor of the events that led to

The Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top:{ ...

in 1950. During the

Armistice An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from the La ...

between the two nations the ecosystem of the area has reverted to its natural state due to the lack of human interference; The DMZ and Civilian Control Zone (CCZ) in

encompass many rivers and an abundant amount of diverse ecosystems along with substantial amounts of plant, mammal, fish and bird species, many of which are globally endangered. Over 5,000 species of plants and animals have been identified as living in The

DMZ A demilitarized zone (DMZ or DZ) is an area in which treaties or agreements between nations, military powers or contending groups forbid military installations, activities, or personnel. A DZ often lies along an established frontier or bounda ...

, including a significant amount which are considered protected on the endangered species list. These endangered species living in The

include:

white-naped crane The white-naped crane (''Antigone vipio'') is a bird of the crane family. It is a large bird, long, about tall, and weighing about , with pinkish legs, a grey-and-white-striped neck, and a red face patch. Distribution The white-naped crane br ...

red-crowned crane The red-crowned crane (''Grus japonensis''), also called the Manchurian crane or Japanese crane (; the Chinese character '丹' means 'red', '頂/顶' means 'crown' and '鶴/鹤' means 'crane'), is a large East Asian crane among the rarest cran ...

Asiatic black bear The Asian black bear (''Ursus thibetanus''), also known as the Asiatic black bear, moon bear and white-chested bear, is a medium-sized bear species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an or ...

cinereous vulture The cinereous vulture (''Aegypius monachus'') is a large raptor in the family Accipitridae and distributed through much of temperate Eurasia. It is also known as the black vulture, monk vulture and Eurasian black vulture. With a body length of , ...

and the

long-tailed goral The long-tailed goral or Amur goral (''Naemorhedus caudatus'') is a species of ungulate of the family Bovidae found in the mountains of eastern and northern Asia, including Russia, China, and Korea. A population of this species exists in the Kore ...

Preserving Biodiversity in the DMZ

* The DMZ and the CCZ are bordered by land mines which leaves the areas in-between untouched by humans. This untouched habitat is significant for persevering the East Asia flyway system of migratory birds from

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. The

, and the

populations are the two being affected. * This area is also considered home to many other endangered species of birds and mammals alike, including the

. The

is considered; threatened, on the endangered species list due to people harvesting the stomach bile and gallbladders from the bears and using it for Chinese medicinal purposes. * The importance of wildlife conservation and undisturbed habitats are the objectives of many, including the South Korean Ministry of Environment. who wish to keep the

untouched by people, in order to safeguard the existing biodiversity.

Controversies

The Han river ecosystem is endangered because the water flow changed due to water blocking construction at Ilsan Bridge. Deposition of materials in the river caused environmental damage. The Korean Association for the Protection of Wild Birds claimed to remove the structure, which possibly destroyed the natural ecology and caused the bank to overflow.

In the media

The

Nakdong River The Nakdonggang River or Nakdonggang () is the longest river in South Korea, and passes through major cities such as Daegu and Busan. It takes its name from its role as the eastern border of the Gaya confederacy during Korea's Three Kingdoms Er ...

Basin Environmental Office set up an unmanned camera and successfully captured images of the wildlife. In the video, wild animals are seen moving around the alpine wetland and displayed various actions such as hunting and marking their territories.

Marten A marten is a weasel-like mammal in the genus ''Martes'' within the subfamily Guloninae, in the family Mustelidae. They have bushy tails and large paws with partially retractile claws. The fur varies from yellowish to dark brown, depending on t ...

s that were observed at this time were selected as endangered animals and they were

apex predator An apex predator, also known as a top predator, is a predator at the top of a food chain, without natural predators of its own. Apex predators are usually defined in terms of trophic dynamics, meaning that they occupy the highest trophic lev ...

in South Korea. The video has great importance to scientific research as it is the first to document the wildlife in real time. In addition, it offers scientists and government officials the opportunity to reconsider the preservation of the

alpine climate Alpine climate is the typical weather (climate) for elevations above the tree line, where trees fail to grow due to cold. This climate is also referred to as a mountain climate or highland climate. Definition There are multiple definitions of ...

References

External links

Korea Association of Wild Animals ProtectionKorean Association of Wild Birds ProtectionKorea Biodiversity Information SystemPortal of living resource in South Korea
{{Asia topic, Wildlife of Environment of South Korea