English II

Wild Mammals

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Among the 125 species of mammals inhabiting the land and marine waters of South Korea (in- cluding 7 orders and 84 species of land mammals and 2 orders and 41 species of marine mammals), 20 species are designated as endangered (11 un- der Class I and 9 under Class II) by the Ministry of Environment. Class I species, including the Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus ussuricus), Hodgson’s bat (Myotis formosus chofukusei), Siberian musk deer (Moschus moschiferus parvi- pes), Korean goral (Naemorhedus caudatus), and European otter (Lutra lutra), and Class II species,

including the yellow-throated marten (Martes avigula), least weasel (Mustela nivalis), leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis), Ussuri tube-nosed bat (Murina ussuriensis), brown long-eared bat (Plecotus auritus), and Siberian flying squirrel (Pteromys volans aluco), are evenly distributed from the high elevations to the lowlands and near- by shorelines of South Korea.

The Asiatic black bear mostly inhabits the Ji- risan area; the Siberian musk deer inhabits the regions of Gangwon-do; and the yellow-throated marten, leopard cat, Siberian ying squirrel, least

weasel, and European otter are evenly distributed nationwide. The Hodgson’s bat mostly inhab- its the regions of Chungcheong-do, Jeolla-do and Gyeongsangbuk-do; the brown long-eared bat inhabits the Gangwon-do region and north woodlands; and the Ussuri tube-nosed bat mostly inhabits the regions of Gangwon-do, Chungc- heong-do, Gyeonggi-do, and Gyeongsangbuk-do.

Of 41 species of marine mammal inhabiting the South Korean waters, 15 species, including the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) and California sea lion (Zalophus californianus), have 

been designated as protected species by the Min- istry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries. 

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