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Wildlife in Korea?
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michi gnome



Joined: 15 Feb 2006
Location: Dokdo

PostPosted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 10:01 am    Post subject: Wildlife in Korea? Reply with quote

Looking back on the few years I spent in Busan, and near Seoul, I can't remember seeing any wildlife. A few pigeons in Seoul maybe, but that's about it. My experience was mostly of the large urban areas, and it's possible I just didn't get out to the country enough. I'm curious to hear from people living in other parts of the country, perhaps small towns and rural areas.

Being from Wisconsin, I'm used to living in neighborhoods that are teeming with animals. Squirrels, raccoons, rabbits, birds of all kinds. Even where I've lived in Chicago, near a city park, there are squirrels, sparrows, pigeons, and hawks all over the place. I put out sunflower seeds, nuts, etc, and am lucky to have the presence of these creatures on a daily basis.

I've grown used to seeing animals around, and observing them lifts my spirits, puts me in a good mood. My sister works in wildlife rehab, and it's something I'd like to volunteer with too. I like the Native American outlook on the 4-legged and winged kingdoms, that they are our brothers and sisters on the planet.

I'm thinking of returning to Korea, but not sure I want to live in places without wild creatures running/flying around. I've lived in places like Tucson where, while there is a stark beauty to the desert, the saguaro cactus, xeriscape yards, etc, there is also an emptiness without the wildlife you have in the Great Lakes region.

I know the DMZ is a thriving environment for animals, and I'd like to study up on the area. Once people aren't around, the natural habitat and creatures will thrive.

How about for the rest of S. Korea? Are there towns and rural places where it is common to see birds and other wildlife?
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NohopeSeriously



Joined: 17 Jan 2011
Location: The Christian Right-Wing Educational Republic of Korea

PostPosted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 10:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wild animals are rare these days with the epic industrialization all over the land. You would be extremely lucky to find a 20 cm wild snake in a dark summer day around the bushes.
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slothrop



Joined: 03 Feb 2003

PostPosted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 1:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

edit

Last edited by slothrop on Wed Mar 20, 2013 8:35 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Jeollanamdowaegukin



Joined: 21 Mar 2008

PostPosted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 1:06 pm    Post subject: Yes, wildlife exists. Reply with quote

I am lucky enough to have a workplace in the beautiful countryside of Nam Myeon Village, Damyang, Jeollanamdo.
There is a mountain over 400 metres right outside the front door.
The area I work in is also a vibrant farming area with lots of pesticide free farming (especially great pesticide free grapes in the summer).

Very few people hike the mountain so I have seen many animals.
Usually I am the only person Monday to Friday to go up the mountain.

I have seen wild boar, deer, weasels, snakes (small ones and a few over 50 cm), toads (the size of my hand), frogs (the cute small ones and larger ones), many birds (pheasants, woodpeckers, etc.) and yes - mosquitoes Sad

The frogs have already laid many eggs in the pond next to my workplace this month.

Heck, we even have cats and dogs freely wandering around the area.

In spring, summer and fall I have to very careful where I walk when hiking up the mountain as I have often almost stepped on snakes and toads.
Happily, no deaths or bites to report Smile

Now, Korea is not as wonderful as my home province of British Columbia in Canada for wildlife but I love the beauty of Damyang too.
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Jimskins



Joined: 07 Nov 2007

PostPosted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 1:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tigers were still around in the early twentieth century until they were all hunted down. The last wolf in Korea was apparently caught near Daegu in 1980. I find that kind of sad, it's so recent and I'm sure in a more developed country they would have been saved. During the 50s and 60s Korea underwent an extensive rodent-poisoning campaign, rodents being a wolf's primary food, one followed the other.
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Dodge7



Joined: 21 Oct 2011

PostPosted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 2:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Think about it, Korea's surrounded by water and there is a huge fence up North blocking off any passageways. So there isn't going to be much wildlife unless wild cats or dogs or any other animal you don't see here can swim or hop like a kangaroo with a rocket up its butt.
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jvalmer



Joined: 06 Jun 2003

PostPosted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 4:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There are birds of prey even in the larger cities hanging around. In the rural areas tons of frogs and snakes. And once saw a really really smallish deer dead on the side of the road.
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andrewchon



Joined: 16 Nov 2008
Location: Back in Oz. Living in ISIS Aust.

PostPosted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 4:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Where I am at, we have beautiful white cranes feeding on rice paddies.
There are signs warning against deers and wild boars but I've never seen them. They are nocturnal creatures, anyway. Judging by the roadkills I've seen, only quadraped wild life in Korea seems to be abandonned cats and dogs.
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3DR



Joined: 24 May 2009

PostPosted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 4:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I live in Incheon and I have never seen a squirrel. When I took my girlfriend back home to the states, she couldn't believe all the fat squirrels running around.

I see birds and rats here in Incheon.

We did take a trip to the country in the summertime where her mom took us in the water to find snails. We also saw a lot of fish.
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le-paul



Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Location: dans la chambre

PostPosted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 6:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

animals ive seen frequently; chipmunks, squirrels, deer, frogs/toads, seals, snakes, rats and mice. infrequently; boar, goats, bears.
birds though. theres no shortage of them here. ive seen; golden eagles, sea eagles, falcons, kestrals, hawks, swans, mandarin ducks, eider ducks, *beep*, finches, larks, redstarts, wagtails, curlews, egrets, herons, waders, gulls, cormarants, crows, jackdaws, treecreepers, woodpeckers, jays, dippers, swallows, swifts, magpies, ravens, sparrows, wrens, an albatross, a vulture, etc etc etc. i dont know how anyone can not have seen birds.

mods! t i t s are birds! why have you edited that. ive seen a shag too!


Last edited by le-paul on Sun Feb 24, 2013 6:06 pm; edited 1 time in total
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le-paul



Joined: 07 Apr 2009
Location: dans la chambre

PostPosted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 6:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

i read an article last week about how cats/ feral cats kill billions of animals (mainly small mammals) in the usa each year. i guess with the amount of cat stupidity in this country, korea must have a similar problem
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Lucas



Joined: 11 Sep 2012

PostPosted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 6:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
animals ive seen frequently; chipmunks, squirrels, deer, frogs/toads, seals, snakes, rats and mice. infrequently; boar, goats, bears.
birds though. theres no shortage of them here. ive seen; golden eagles, sea eagles, falcons, kestrals, hawks, swans, mandarin ducks, eider ducks, *beep*, finches, larks, redstarts, wagtails, curlews, egrets, herons, waders, gulls, cormarants, crows, jackdaws, treecreepers, woodpeckers, jays, dippers, swallows, swifts, magpies, ravens, sparrows, wrens, an albatross, a vulture, etc etc etc. i dont know how anyone can not have seen birds.


I saw a Dodo too on Dokdo.
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darkjedidave



Joined: 19 Aug 2009
Location: Shanghai/Seoul

PostPosted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 9:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not sure if it's more myth than truth, but it makes sense that during the Korean War, the locals ate whatever they could find: birds, squirrels, snakes, rodents, etc to avoid starvation. Hell, we when we had construction next to a local park, we saw one of the workers trap and take home one of the pheasants that lived in the bushes.
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busanSK2012



Joined: 20 Feb 2013

PostPosted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 9:45 pm    Post subject: animals sightings Reply with quote

I live in busan as well. Recently, a red deer was grazing outside on the mountain and class came to a standstill. I have seen a few black squirrels in Amman park. And saw a Blue Heron in the stream near the UN cemetery. But really, wildlife is very limited here which makes me sad.

Especially, since I was in Tokyo last week and was shocked by the variety of bird species I saw in every park. I have often thought that maybe they were eaten as well.
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busanSK2012



Joined: 20 Feb 2013

PostPosted: Sun Feb 24, 2013 9:46 pm    Post subject: animals sightings Reply with quote

I live in busan as well. Recently, a red deer was grazing outside on the mountain and class came to a standstill. I have seen a few black squirrels in Amman park. And saw a Blue Heron in the stream near the UN cemetery. But really, wildlife is very limited here which makes me sad.

Especially, since I was in Tokyo last week and was shocked by the variety of bird species I saw in every park. I have often thought that maybe they were eaten as well.
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