Wildlife of Korea

The wildlife of Korea belongs to the Palearctic realm. Native or endemic species of the Korean Peninsula include Korean hare, Korean water deer, Korean field mouse, Korean brown frog, Korean pine and Korean spruce. The Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) with its forest and natural wetlands is a unique biodiversity spot, which harbours 82 endangered species such as the red-crowned crane, Amur leopard and the Siberian tiger.[1] Overall, DMZ is home to about 70 mammalian species, more than 300 birds and about 3,000 plants.[2]

At the same time, the populations of bears, lynxes, tigers, wolves, dholes and leopards, which once inhabited the Korean Peninsula, are presently very rare or extirpated, and likewise large ungulates (with the exceptions of roe deer, water deer and wild boar) are uncommon.[3] The local wildlife sustained major damage during the Japanese occupation in 1910–1945 and subsequent Korean War, particularly due to overhunting of tigers.[4]

  1. ^ "Threat to Korean wildlife in 'scariest place on Earth'". MNN. Sep 9, 2012. Archived from the original on 14 November 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  2. ^ Foran, Racquel (2013). North Korea. ABDO. p. 34. ISBN 978-1617836329.
  3. ^ Salter, Christopher; Gritzner, Charles (2007). North Korea. Infobase Publishing. p. 25. ISBN 978-1438105260.
  4. ^ "Korea Inside Out: Forestry & Fauna". The People's Korea. Retrieved 26 October 2013.