Wildlife of South Korea
The wildlife of South Korea includes 8,271 plant species, 18,117 animal species and 3,528 species of fungi and others. 30,000 species are known to inhabit South Korea, among an estimated 100,000+ in all.
Animalia
South Korea has complex terrain and is surrounded by water on three sides. Therefore, South Korea has multiple climate zones and high precipitation, leading to diverse wildlife.18,117 animal species include 1,528 species of vertebrates, 13,025 species of insects, and 3,564 species of other invertebrates.
Endangered wildlife
Article 2 of the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act discusses endangered wild animals. Among the 246 endangered species are many in need of urgent conservation measures. Endangered animals include:- Leopard cat – the only wild cat. It lives primarily in mountainous regions.
- Red-crowned crane – lives along the Imjin River.
- Golden eagle – ranges across the country.
- Siberian musk deer – lives in Mokpo in South Jeolla Province.
- Hodgson's bat
- Asian black bear
- Mongolian wolf – lives in North Gyeongsang Province, Gangwon Province and North Chungcheong Province.
Harmful wild animals
Harmful wild animals are wild animals that damage property or endanger people.Harmful wild animals include:
- Sparrow, magpie, jay, crow, and brown-eared bulbul, which damage fruit crops.
- Pigeon, pheasant, elk, mole, red squirrel, and some kinds of rat and duck damage agriculture, forests and fisheries given their high population densities.
- Magpie damages power facilities such as utility poles.
- Pigeon damages residences with their feces and feathers.
- Wild boars roam the mountainsides, but have begun coming to cities centers in search of food. These big, strong, and fast animals can potentially be fatal to humans.
- Asian giant hornets, in swarms, can destroy an entire hive of bumblebees. They usually live in large trees and have been known to attack people who accidentally run into their nests.
Flora
South Korea hosts 8,271 species of plants, consisting of 4,662 vascular species and 3,609 non-vascular species. Wild plants include species native to Korea such as Pentactina. Ecosystems are unstable because of land development. 67 km2 of forest disappear each year, accounting for 0.1% of South Korean forests.Distribution
Korea can be divided into three biozones by plant distribution: warm-temperate forest, temperate forest and subalpine forest. Evergreen broad-leaved trees grow in warm-temperate forests. Warm-temperate forests include the southern coastal region, Jeju Island and several islands of the southern sea which are below 35°N.Warm-temperate forest
Species include Quercus myrsinaefolia, Quercus acuta, Quercus salicina, Daphniphyllum macropodum, Castanopsis cuspidata, Ligustrum foliosum nakai, Machilus thunbergii.Ulleungdo: A sort of tree that reseeds with Mt. Seonginbong as a center at approximately 600 m altitude. Altitudes below 600 m have wild plants in the Southern province such as magnolia, Euonymus japonicus, Camellia japonica, Hedera rhombea, Ardisia japonica, Vitex rotundifolia and others. Above 600 m Fagus crenata and Sorbus commixta can be found.
Jejudo can be divided into coast and mountain. Coast vegetation consists of Sinomenium acutum, Machilus thunbergii, Daphniphyllum macropodum, Camellia japonica, Vitex rotundifolia, Centella asiatica. Reynoutria elliptica, Hydrangea serrata, Eleutherococcus senticosus, Aconitum napiforme, Schisandra repanda and others.
Temperate forest
Temperate forests dominate South Korea, occupying 85% of its territory, including land between the Korean Demilitarized Zone and the northern part of 35°N. Common species are Carpinus laxiflora, Carpinus tschonoskii and Quercus mongolica.Subalpine forest
South Korea lowlands have no boreal forests. However subalpine coniferous forest is found in highland or mountainous districts. Part of Hallasan, part of Seoraksan, fir forest of Jirisan and Gotjawal Forest in Jeju Province are the subalpine forests. At 1200 m–1500 m altitude in Hallasan, a coniferous forest consists of pine, juniper, and a Korean fir. Fruticeta is formed in 1500 m–1700 m and the alpine zone 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 plants
Endangered plants are divided into first and second grades. Species are selected by the Environment Minister after a consultation with the Minister of Central Administration.First grade endangered wild plants species have populations significantly reduced by natural causes or artificial factors. First grade endangered wild plants include:Malus komarovii : This plant is also found in China. It reaches 5m in height. It grows deep in the mountain.Cypripedium japonicum : It can found in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province.Aerides japonicum Reichb. fil : It can be found in Jeju Province or South Jeolla Province, Koreas' warmest region. It has an aerial root. The length of the leaves is 8 cm~15 .Euchresta japonica Hook. f. : It grows in valleys in Jeju Province.Diapensia lapponica L. : It is found in Mt. Hallasan in Jeju Province.Cymbidium lancifolium : It can be found in Mt. Hallasan in Jeju Province.Neofinetia falcata : It is found in the southern island and Japan.Cymbidium kanran : It grows in the southern Jeju Province.
Second grade endangered wild plants are also significantly reduced by natural causes or artificial factors. These plants may become extinct in the foreseeable future.Euryale ferox : 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 : It is found in Gyeonggi, Gangwon, and North Gyeongsang Province. It grows in high mountain forests.Plagiorhegma dubium : It is an ornamental plant whose root is used in herbal medicine.
- Sundew : It grows on beaches in the South Jeolla Province.Rhododendron aureum : It grows in alpine region.Iris odaesanensis Y. N. Lee : An endemic species, it grows in the South Gyeongsang Province mountains such as Odaesan and Taebaeksan.Aster altaicus var. uchiyamae : It can be found in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, and Danyang County, North Chungcheong Province.Ranunculus kazusensis : It lives in the southern province and west coast.Isoetes : It grows in shallow water. It was found in Pyeongtaek in 1942; it went extinct in Korea but grows in Japan.Vexillabium yakushimense F. Maekawa : It grows in mountains and forests in South Jeolla Province and North Jeolla Province.Saururus chinensis : It grows in well ventilated valleys, in Jeju Province and Mt.Jirisan.Viola raddeana Regel : It grows in a brook in South Gyeongsang Province and Gyeonggi Province.Lilium cernuum Kom : It grows in mountainous regions.Psilotum nudum : It grows on the coast in the southern part of Jeju Province.Wisteriopsis japonica A. Gray : It grows in South Jeolla Province and South Gyeongsang Province.Viola websteri Hemsl. : 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 in Gyeonggi, Sambang County in South Hamgyong Province, and Paektu Mountain. It is endemic.Cyrtosia septentrionalis : Called 'Gaecheon-ma', it grows in forests in Jeju Province.Polygonatum stenophyllum Maxim : It grows in mountains and pastures.Mankyua chejuense : Endemic to Jeju Province.Leontice microrhyncha S. Moore : 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.
Demilitarized Zone
The Demilitarized Zone is the unmanned strip of land that separates North and South Korea. Since the Armistice that ended combat in 1953, its ecosystem has reverted to its natural state due to the absence of human activity. The DMZ and Civilian Control Zone support many rivers and abundant diverse ecosystems hosting 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, including many on the endangered species list. These include: Siberian musk deer, white-naped crane, red-crowned crane, Asiatic black bear, cinereous vulture and the long-tailed goral.
Preserving biodiversity
DMZ and the CCZ are bordered by land mines that prevent human activities. It is part of the East Asia flyway system of birds migrating from Russia to Australia. The white-naped crane and red-crowned crane populations are most affected.This area is home to many other endangered animal species, including the Asian black bear, which is rated threatened on the endangered species list due to people harvesting their stomach bile and using it for Chinese herbology.
The South Korean Ministry of Environment works to keep the DMZ untouched by people to safeguard biodiversity.