Endangered Animals in North Korea
- Endangered animals are at risk of going extinct.tiger image by david purday from Fotolia.com
Endangered animals have experienced large reductions in population and are in danger of going extinct. Animal species that go extinct cease to exist. Hunting and loss of habitat are two of the most common reasons that animals die in great numbers. North Korea is home to several endangered animals, including the blue whale, the Siberian tiger, the Asiatic black bear and the Mandarin duck. - The blue whale is the world's largest mammal.BLUE WHALE CRUISING BEFORE DIVE image by ADMIRAL BENBOW from Fotolia.com
Blue whales are an endangered animal species in the waters off of North Korea. They hold the title of the largest animals to have ever lived on Earth. These giants of the ocean can measure as long as 100 ft. and weigh more than 200 tons. Their diet is consists of tiny shrimplike creatures called krill. Blue whales live in all the oceans of the world and are also one of the Earth's longest living mammals with an average lifespan of 80 to 90 years. Aggressive hunting practices by whalers in the 1900s drove them to the brink of extinction. They came under the protection of the International Whaling Commission in 1966, but are still on the endangered species list today. - The Siberian tiger is known for its skill as a stealth hunter.siberian tiger image by Tom Curtis from Fotolia.com
Siberian tigers are the world's largest cats. They are primarily found in Russia, but there are a few that live in the wild of China and North Korea. They are admired for their great strength and power as well as for their beauty. Siberian tigers are aggressive hunters and can travel great distances to find prey. Hunting and deforestation has killed off hundreds of thousands of the world's tigers including the Siberian. Poachers hunt tigers as trophies and others use their body parts for medicinal purposes. Siberian tigers are classified as endangered, with only about 500 to 700 existing today. - The male Asiatic black bear prefers a solitary lifestyle.Asiatic Black Bear image by Uolir from Fotolia.com
The Asiatic black bear is also called "moon bear" because of the white crescent shaped mark on its chest. It prefers to live in the forests of temperate or tropical woodlands in areas with heavy brush cover. This bear's diet consists primarily of fruits, nuts and insects; although it is also carnivorous. It is listed as endangered in Korea and is threatened by the destruction of its natural habitat and by hunting. It is hunted for its skin, paws and gall bladder. - The male Mandarin duck has brightly colored plumage.mandarin duck(aix galericulata) image by Tomasz Kubis from Fotolia.com
The male Mandarin duck is considered by many to be the most beautiful of all ducks. It has distinctly colored feathers and an iridescent crown. The females are less colorful. These birds originated in China, but can live anywhere there are woodlands, water and many trees for nesting. Their fall migration includes North Korea. The large scale destruction of its natural habitat as well as exportation across Asia has caused this bird to become endangered.
