This is a list of mammals found in the wild on the Korean Peninsula. Approximately 100 species of mammals are known to inhabit, or recently to have inhabited, the peninsula and its surrounding waters. This includes a few species, such as the Nutria and Muskrat, that were introduced in the 20th century. It also includes other species listed here, such as the Amur Tiger and Japanese Sea Lion, which have probably been extirpated but are still included in standard lists of Korean mammals.
Most of these species are found only in a small part of Korea. The large southeastern island of Jeju, and the rugged northeastern Paektusan region, are particularly known for their distinctive fauna. Several species, including the Dsinezumi Shrew, are found only on Jeju, while many other species such as the Wild Boar are absent or extirpated from there.
The species included in this list are drawn from Won and Smith (1999). Information on the international status of species has been drawn from the IUCN Red List.
Common name
(Korean name) |
Species
(Authority) |
Preferred habitat | Range | Status[1] |
---|---|---|---|---|
Family Bovidae: Bovids | ||||
Long-tailed Goral
(산양) |
Naemorhedus caudatus[2] (Hamilton Smith, 1827) |
High mountains. | Northern Taebaek Mountains, including the Demilitarized Zone.[3] |
|
Family Cervidae: Deer | ||||
Siberian Roe Deer
(노루) |
Capreolus pygargus (Pallas, 1771) |
Forest verges. | Throughout; not found on Ulleungdo. |
|
Wapiti
(붉은사슴) |
Cervus canadensis (Erxleben, 1777) |
Forest verges. | North Hamgyong and the Paektusan region. |
|
Sika Deer
(대륙사슴) |
Cervus nippon (Temminck, 1838) |
Open forests and forest verges. | Throughout mainland.[12] |
|
Water Deer
(고라니) |
Hydropotes inermis (Swinhoe, 1870) |
Low mountains and riparian areas. | Throughout mainland. |
|
Family Suidae: Pigs | ||||
Wild Boar
(멧돼지) |
Sus scrofa (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Mountain forests. | Throughout mainland. |
|
Family Moschidae: Musk deer | ||||
Siberian Musk Deer
(사향노루) |
Moschus moschiferus (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Mountain forests. | North Korea; also found in Gangwon, South Korea. |
|
Common name
(Korean name) |
Species
(Authority) |
Preferred habitat | Range | Status[1] |
---|---|---|---|---|
Family Canidae: Canids | ||||
eurasian Wolf
(늑대) |
Canis lupus (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Forests and open woods. | Paektusan area. |
|
Dhole
(승냥이) |
Cuon alpinus[23] (Pallas, 1811) |
Dense forests and high mountains. | Paektusan area. |
|
Raccoon Dog
(너구리) |
Nyctereutes procyonoides (Gray, 1834) |
Wooded valleys. | Throughout mainland. |
|
Fox
(여우) |
Vulpes vulpes (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Brushy areas and forest verges. | Northern and northeastern Korea. |
|
Family Felidae: Felids | ||||
Leopard Cat
(삵) |
Prionailurus bengalensis[29] (Kerr, 1792) |
Dense forests. | Central and northern Korea. |
|
Eurasian Lynx
(스라소니) |
Lynx lynx (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Montane forests. | North Hamgyong and Chagang, North Korea. |
|
Amur Leopard
(표범) |
Panthera pardus orientalis (Schlegel, 1857) |
High dense forests. | Northern Korea. | |
Amur Tiger
(호랑이) |
Panthera tigris altaica (Temminck, 1844) |
Rocky forests. | Hamgyong provinces, northeastern North Korea. | |
Family Mustelidae: Mustelids | ||||
European Otter
(수달) |
Lutra lutra (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Riparian areas. | Throughout mainland, scattered. |
|
Yellow-throated Marten
(담비) |
Martes flavigula (Boddaert, 1785) |
High forests. | Northern Korea. |
|
Japanese Marten
(산달) |
Martes melampus (Wagner, 1841) |
High forests. | Central and northern Korea.[31] |
|
Sable
(검은담비) |
Martes zibellina (Linnaeus, 1758) |
High, dense boreal forests. | North Hamgyong, northeastern North Korea. |
|
Asian Badger
(오소리) |
Meles leucurus (Hodgson, 1847) |
Forests and mountain valleys. Fossorial. | Throughout mainland. |
|
Least Weasel
(무산쇠족제비) |
Mustela nivalis (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Subalpine areas. | Far northeastern and northwestern North Korea.[40] |
|
Siberian Weasel
(족제비) |
Mustela sibirica[41] (Pallas, 1773) |
Forests and riparian areas. | Throughout, including Jeju.[40] |
|
Family Ursidae: Bears | ||||
Asiatic Black Bear
(반달가슴곰) |
Ursus thibetanus[42] (G. Cuvier, 1823) |
Thick forests. | Jirisan and Seoraksan in South Korea; Kumgangsan and Paektusan in North Korea. |
|
Brown Bear
(불곰) |
Ursus arctos (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Thick forests. | Central and northern Korea. |
|
Superfamily Pinnipedia: Pinnipeds | ||||
Common name
(Korean name) |
Species
(Authority) |
Preferred habitat | Range | Status[1][48] |
Family Otariidae: Eared Seals | ||||
Northern Fur Seal
(물개)/ (바다말) |
Callorhinus ursinus (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Coasts and seas. | Most common in the Sea of Japan. | |
Steller's Sea Lion
(큰바다사자) |
Eumetopias jubatus (Schreber, 1776) |
Coasts and seas. | Northern Yellow Sea and Sea of Japan |
|
California Sea Lion
(바다사자) |
Zalophus japonicus[52] (Peters, 1866) |
Rocky coasts. | Last seen on Liancourt Rocks in 1951. | |
Family Phocidae: Earless Seals | ||||
Common Seal
(잔점박이물범) |
Phoca vitulina (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Coasts and seas. | Northern Sea of Japan. |
|
Spotted Seal
(점박이물범) |
Phoca largha (Pallas, 1811) |
Coasts and seas. | Throughout Yellow Sea, Sea of Japan, and Korea Strait; large colony on Baengnyeongdo. |
|
Common name
(Korean name) |
Species
(Authority) |
Preferred habitat | Range | Status[1] |
---|---|---|---|---|
Suborder Mysticeti: Baleen whales | ||||
Family Balaenopteridae: Rorquals | ||||
Minke Whale
(밍크고래) |
Balaenoptera acutorostrata (Lacépède, 1804) |
Widespread. | Yellow Sea, East China Sea, Sea of Japan. | |
Blue Whale
(대왕고래) |
Balaenoptera musculus (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Deep ocean waters. | ||
Fin Whale
(긴수염고래) |
Balaenoptera physalus (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Coastal waters. | Sea of Japan and Yellow Sea. |
|
Family Eschrichtiidae: Gray Whales | ||||
Gray Whale
(귀신고래) |
Eschrichtius robustus (Lilljeborg, 1861) |
Migratory through coastal waters. | Sea of Japan, Korea Strait. | |
Suborder Odontoceti: Toothed Whales | ||||
Family Delphinidae: Oceanic dolphins | ||||
Short-Beaked Common Dolphin
(짧은부리참돌고래) |
Delphinus delphis (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Warmer coastal waters. | Throughout. |
|
Pacific White-Sided Dolphin
(낫돌고래) |
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens (Gill, 1865) |
Warmer coastal waters. | Sea of Japan[60] |
|
Orca
(범고래) |
Orcinus orca (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Coastal waters. | Throughout. |
|
Family Phocoenidae: Porpoises | ||||
Dall's Porpoise
(까치돌고래) |
Phocoenoides dalli
(True, 1885) |
Colder ocean waters. | North of the 35th parallel in the Sea of Japan. |
|
Harbor Porpoise
(쇠돌고래) |
Phocoena phocoena (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Colder ocean waters. | Sea of Japan. | |
Finless Porpoise
(상괭이) |
Neophocaena phocaenoides (Cuvier, 1829) |
Coastal waters. | Yellow Sea, Korea Strait, southern Sea of Japan. |
|
Family Physeteridae: Sperm whales | ||||
Sperm Whale
(향고래) |
Physeter macrocephalus (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Deep oceans. | East China Sea |
|
Family Ziphiidae: Beaked whales | ||||
Baird's Beaked Whale
(큰부리고래) |
Berardius bairdii (Stejneger, 1883) |
Open seas. | Sea of Japan. |
Common name
(Korean name) |
Species
(Authority) |
Preferred habitat | Range | Status[1] |
---|---|---|---|---|
Family Erinaceidae: Hedgehogs | ||||
Amur Hedgehog
(고슴도치) |
Erinaceus amurensis (Schrenk, 1859) |
Deciduous and mixed forests.[69] | Throughout mainland. |
|
Common name
(Korean name) |
Species
(Authority) |
Preferred habitat | Range | Status[1] |
---|---|---|---|---|
Family Talpidae: Moles | ||||
Japanese Mole
(두더지) |
Mogera wogura[70] (Temminck, 1833) |
High moist forest. | Throughout mainland; not found on Jeju or Ulleungdo |
|
Family Soricidae: Shrews | ||||
Dsinezumi Shrew
(제주땃쥐) |
Crocidura dsinezumi (Temminck, 1842) |
Damp forests and grasslands. | Found only on Jeju.[71] |
|
Ussuri Shrew
(땃쥐) |
Crocidura lasiura (Dobson, 1890) |
Widespread. | Throughout mainland. |
|
Lesser Shrew
(작은땃쥐) |
Crocidura suaveolens (Pallas, 1811) |
Moist deciduous forests. | Throughout, including Ulleungdo.[72] |
|
Eurasian Water Shrew
(갯첨서) |
Neomys fodiens (Pennant, 1771) |
Riparian areas and mountain lakes.[72] | Northern North Korea.[73] |
|
Laxmann's Shrew
(뒤쥐) |
Sorex caecutiens (Laxmann, 1788) |
Rugged mountains. | Northern and northeastern North Korea.[74] |
|
Large-Toothed Siberian Shrew
(백두산뒤쥐) |
Sorex daphaenodon (Thomas, 1907) |
Boreal forests and alpine meadows. | Paektusan region.[75] |
|
Slender Shrew
(쇠뒤쥐) |
Sorex gracillimus (Thomas, 1907) |
Coniferous forests and alpine regions. | Northeastern North Korea.[76] |
|
Even-Toothed Shrew
(큰발뒤쥐) |
Sorex isodon (Turov, 1924) |
Mountain forests. | Baekdudaegan mountains.[78] |
|
Eurasian Least Shrew
(꼬마뒤쥐) |
Sorex minutissimus (Zimmermann, 1780) |
Rugged mountains bove 1500 meters.[79] | Central and northern Korea.[80] |
|
Ussuri Shrew
(큰첨서) |
Sorex mirabilis (Ognev, 1937) |
Moist ground above 1500 meters.[79] | Central and northern Korea. |
|
Long-Clawed Shrew
(긴발톱첨서) |
Sorex unguiculatus (Dobson, 1890) |
High moist areas. | Northeastern North Korea.[81] |
|
Common name
(Korean name) |
Species
(Authority) |
Preferred habitat | Range | Status[1] |
---|---|---|---|---|
Family Rhinolophidae: Horseshoe bats | ||||
Greater Horseshoe Bat
(관박쥐) |
Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (Schreber, 1774) |
Roosts in caves and abandoned mines. | Scattered throughout, including Jeju. |
|
Family Vespertilionidae: Vesper bats | ||||
Kobayashi's Bat
(고바야시박쥐) |
Eptesicus koyabashii (Mori, 1928) |
West central Korea.[84] |
|
|
Northern Bat
(생박쥐) |
Eptesicus nilssonii (Keyserling et Blasius, 1839) |
Found in Gyeonggi, northwestern South Korea, and North Hamgyong, northeastern North Korea. |
|
|
Serotine Bat
(문둥이박쥐) |
Eptesicus serotinus (Schreber, 1774) |
Roosts in roofs and walls. | Most common in northwestern Korea. |
|
Savi's Pipistrelle
(큰집박쥐) |
Hypsugo savii[87] (Bonaparte, 1837) |
Roosts in caves.[88] | Throughout. |
|
Schreiber's Bat
(긴날개박쥐) |
Miniopterus schreibersi (Kuhl, 1817) |
Grasslands and forests in summer; caves in winter. | Scattered throughout. |
|
Little Tube-Nosed Bat
(작은관코박쥐) |
Murina aurata (Milne-Edwards, 1872) |
Unknown. |
|
|
Greater Tube-Nosed Bat
(관코박쥐) |
Murina leucogaster (Milne-Edwards, 1872) |
Unknown.[91] |
|
|
Far Eastern Myotis
(흰배윗수염박쥐) |
Myotis bombinus[92] (Thomas, 1906) |
Hibernates in caves. | Throughout, including Jeju. |
|
Daubenton's Bat
(물윗수염박쥐) |
Myotis daubentonii (Kuhl, 1817) |
Near water. | Throughout, including Jeju. |
|
Hodgson's Bat
(오렌지윗수염박쥐) |
Myotis formosus (Hodgson, 1835) |
Scattered throughout; not found on Jeju.[94] |
|
|
Fraternal Myotis
(긴꼬리윗수염박쥐) |
Myotis frater (G.M. Allen, 1923) |
Forests. | Northern Korea.[95] |
|
Ikonnikov's Bat
(작은윗수염박쥐) |
Myotis ikonnikovi (Ognev, 1912) |
Scattered throughout, including Jeju. |
|
|
Big-Footed Myotis
(큰발윗수염박쥐) |
Myotis macrodactylus (Temminck, 1840) |
Local throughout, including Jeju. |
|
|
Whiskered Bat
(윗수염박쥐) |
Myotis mystacinus (Kuhl, 1817) |
Forests. | Scattered throughout, including Jeju and Ulleungdo.[98] |
|
Birdlike Noctule
(멧박쥐) |
Nyctalus aviator (Thomas, 1911) |
Scattered throughout. |
|
|
Java Pipistrelle
(큰집박쥐) |
Pipistrellus javanicus[100]
(Gray, 1838) |
Scattered throughout. |
|
|
Brown Long-Eared Bat
(토끼박쥐) |
Plecotus auritus (Linnaeus, 1758) |
High mountains. | The Taebaek Mountains and the Paektusan area in northern North Korea. |
|
Parti-colored Bat
(북방애기박쥐) |
Vespertilio murinus (Linnaeus, 1758) |
High forests and grasslands in the summer. | North Hamgyong, North Korea. |
|
Asian Parti-colored Bat
(안주애기박쥐) |
Vespertilio superans (Thomas, 1899) |
West central Korea.[101] |
|
Common name
(Korean name) |
Species
(Authority) |
Preferred habitat | Range | Status[1] |
---|---|---|---|---|
Family Leporidae: Leporids | ||||
Korean Hare
(멧토끼) |
Lepus coreanus (Thomas, 1892) |
Widespread at low altitudes.[102] | Throughout mainland.[103] |
|
Manchurian Hare
(북방토끼) |
Lepus mandschuricus (Radde, 1861) |
High rocky forests. | Northern Korea. |
|
Family Ochotonidae: Pikas | ||||
Northern Pika
(우는토끼) |
Ochotona hyperborea (Pallas, 1811) |
Alpine meadows, 1000-2500 m. | Northern Korea. |
|
Common name
(Korean name) |
Species
(Authority) |
Preferred habitat | Range | Status[1] |
---|---|---|---|---|
Family Muridae: Murids | ||||
Striped Field Mouse
(등줄쥐) |
Apodemus agrarius (Pallas, 1771) |
Widespread. | Throughout, including Jeju.[104] |
|
Jeju Striped Field Mouse
(제주등줄쥐) |
Apodemus chejuensis[106] (Jones et Johnson, 1965) |
Widespread. | Found only on Jeju. | |
Korean Field Mouse
(흰넓적다리붉은쥐) |
Apodemus peninsulae (Thomas, 1907) |
Forest verges and brushland. | Throughout mainland. |
|
Harvest Mouse
(멧밭쥐) |
Micromys minutus (Pallas, 1771) |
Low grasslands and fields. | Throughout; not found on Ulleungdo. |
|
House Mouse
(생쥐) |
Mus musculus (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Human dwellings. | Throughout. |
|
Norway Rat
(집쥐) |
Rattus norvegicus (Berkenhout, 1769) |
Urban and cultivated areas. | Throughout. |
|
Black Rat
(애급쥐) |
Rattus rattus (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Urban areas. | Central and southern Korea. |
|
Family Cricetidae: Cricetids | ||||
Northern Red-Backed Vole
(숲들쥐) |
Myodes rutilus (Pallas, 1779) |
High, dense mixed forest. | Far northeastern Korea. |
|
Grey Red-Backed Vole
(대륙밭쥐) |
Myodes rufocanus[112] (Sundevall, 1846) |
Boreal forest. | Northern Korea. |
|
Chinese Striped Hamster
(비단털등줄쥐) |
Cricetulus barabensis (Pallas, 1773) |
Fields. | Sinuiju and Cholsan, North Korea. |
|
Royal Vole
(비단털들쥐) |
Eothenomys regulus (Thomas, 1907) |
Widespread; avoids deep forests. | Southern, central and northwestern Korea. |
|
Mandarin Vole
(쇠갈밭쥐) |
Lasiopodomys mandarinus[117] (Milne-Edwards, 1871) |
Grassy wetlands. | Southwestern Korea. |
|
Reed Vole
(갈밭쥐) |
Microtus fortis (Buchner, 1889) |
High fields and forest verges. | Western and northern Korea. |
|
Muskrat
(사향쥐) |
Ondatra zibethicus (Linnaeus, 1766) |
Marshes and lakes. | Tumen River basin, North Korea.[118] |
|
Greater Long-Tailed Hamster
(비단털쥐) |
Tscherskia triton (de Winton, 1899) |
Widespread. | Throughout, including Jeju.[115] |
|
Family Myocastoridae: the Coypu | ||||
Coypu or Nutria
(뉴트리아) |
Myocastor coypus
(Molina, 1782) |
Wetlands. | South Korea's Yeongnam region. (Introduced for farming in 1990s) |
|
Family Sciuridae: Squirrels | ||||
Siberian Flying Squirrel
(하늘다람쥐) |
Pteromys volans (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Boreal forest. | Far northeast and Taebaek Mountains. |
|
Red Squirrel
(청설모) |
Sciurus vulgaris (Linnaeus, 1758) |
Forests. | Throughout mainland.[122] |
|
Siberian Chipmunk
(다람쥐) |
Tamias sibiricus (Laxmann, 1769) |
Forests. | Inland throughout. |
|
Family Dipodidae: Jumping mice | ||||
Long-Tailed Birch Mouse
(긴꼬리꼬마쥐) |
Sicista caudata (Thomas, 1907) |
Riparian zones and wetlands. | Northeastern Korea.[123] |
|