Mountain Ecology

[Anchor Lead]

Situated in the middle of the nation's Baekdu-daegan mountain range is Mount Songni, known for its perfectly preserved ecological environment and for serving as a habitat to more than two-thousand kinds of wild animals, including endangered species. We take you there in our next report.

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A flying squirrel is marked with vivid dark stripes on its body. Hanging from a tree, it deftly changes direction and enters its nest. It is a rare wild animal that is protected under its designation as a natural monument and an endangered species. While busily searching for prey, a marten rubs its body against a rock to mark its territory. The movements of a wildcat are captured by an unmanned surveillance camera. 24 wild endangered species live in Mount Songni, including the natural monument swans that boast their graceful appearance in the winter.

[Soundbite] Han Hye-seong(Mt. Songnisan office/National Park Service) : "Endangered wild animals are continuously observed, as the ecological environment at Mount Songni is preserved through various restoration programs such as restricting human access through side roads."

Long-tailed tits are busy biting each other's beaks in a fight. Massive wild boars can be seen frequently, as well as badgers and weasels looking for food. A red-tongue pit viper is vividly captured on camera as it swallows a bird whole on a sunlit stone. Mount Songni, a habitat to 2,000 species of wild animals including mammals, birds and insects, is an ecological treasure trove of the Korean Peninsula.