Korean Job Discussion Forums

[MaestroCantus]

Hey, I was just wondering. I know we all are aware of the potentially more dangerous animals from our native lands (whether they are extinct yet, or not), and I was just wondering if you know of any spiders, snakes, bugs, etc. that are known locally in Korea as dangerous.

I live in Canada (at least, for a few more weeks), and I don't believe that we have many [or any] dangerous animals/insects here near Toronto.

Plus, if you know of any dangerous animlas/insects, do you know of any information about them (i.e. how to avoid them, where you're likely to see them, how to react if you are attacked/bitten, or websites with English information/wikipedia pages)?

OK, I'll include misquitoes in this (any tips to avoid them if they are common) -- I remember dealing with them elsewhere in Asia.

I'll be living near Seoul (and assume that urban areas may have less wildlife), but I may want to hike and was just wondering what one should watch out for.

Thanks.

[cruisemonkey]

There's some poisonous snakes (if you're out in the 'sticks'). The best way to avoid a bite is to look where you're putting your feet, i.e. don't step on them.

Seriously though, the only wildlife you're going to find is in the DMZ (you can't go there) or a room salon.

P.S. When did extinct animals become dangerous?

[Underwaterbob]

I was asking a co-worker about the poisonous snake that I heard lived in Korea and he said they are very rare now because at some point in the past someone decided that they were good for stamina and, well, you can see where this story goes from here.

[JungMin]

There definitely are poisonous snakes. A friend of mine showed me a bite he got one fall.....his finger is all disfigured, tissue is missing. I've seen a few BIG snakes while out hiking, but no idea if they were poisonous.

The DMZ.....I've read that its apparently full of wildlife, but i've also read that its heavily mined. The two don't seem very conducive...

[Atavistic]

[cruisemonkey]

[Gwangjuboy]

I used to work near Paldang dam and there were lots of snakes around the more remote parts of the river. I probably saw 15-20 a year. Some of them were very big, while some others had striking red and black patterns with a triangular shaped head. Some really unusual things out there. I also saw lizards (could have been a gecko I wouldn't know the difference) and turtles.

[nautilus]

There is one dangerous viper which is now very rare due to the snake wine craze.
There is also the risk of internal parasites from eating infected raw crab.

That is all.

[fiveeagles]

There are a few parasites on this board that you should avoid.

[captain kirk]

There's a viper. Triangular head like all vipers. It's brown with diamonds. Or green with diamond pattern. About a meter long. If you're tromping around off the beaten track what it does is sit tight totally still in a coiled cone of snake ready to pop up and bite. It doesn't blink, just stares waiting to see if you'll get close then POW.

The young ones release more venom while the older ones release less, even a dry bite. Viper venom kills body tissue, necrosis. I don't know if they can kill you but I wouldn't be surprised. The viper is the most sophisticated of snakes and the way they just sit tight gives me the creeps. I've come across them like that twice. Once almost stepping on one because it was the same colour, brown, as the dead leaves. My foot stopped inches above it for 'some reason'. The snake was making no noise so I just felt 'something was wrong', pulled back my foot, and saw the snake.

Another time I sat beside a tomb clearing in the mountainside woods and one was 6 feet away. Both times in their 'cone of snake ready to spring' position.

Last Summer I was around Chirisan and lots of these snakes on the mountain roads roadkilled. In fact that was mostly it, vipers. I've seen them slithering across the road, too. Once down by a lake.

Those cordura shin gaiters which are actually for snowy conditions were recommended by a hiking store. They were cheap and he was an experienced hiker so I don't think he was making them out to be snakeproof just to made a sale. At one meter long on average their fangs must be quite small with less of a whallop than, say, a Texas rattler.

SAH moe SAH is it's name if I recall correctly, pretty sure. While the Japanese type is called musashi.

[aka Dave]

Mad cows rampage the peninsula, destroying everything in their path.

[KiteOperations]

Seoul is a jungle of concretes.
beware of rampant cars, bikes and the drunken.
that's all.

[peppermint]

I was told the centipedes were pretty dangerous, though probably not lethal for an adult.

[justin moffatt]

Watch out for disgruntled vindicative Korean (future) ex-girlfiends . . .

[ciccone_youth]

oh no don't say that, i have those guys in my apartment, ^