Natural Monuments 'Sky Squirrel and Large Scops Owl' Discovered Consecutively in Hampyeong-gun

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Yoon Jamin] The flying squirrel and the large scops owl, both designated natural monuments, were consecutively discovered on a mountain in Hampyeong-gun, Jeollanam-do.

According to Hampyeong-gun on the 13th, the flying squirrel, Natural Monument No. 328 and a Class 2 endangered wild species, was found on a mountain in Hampyeong-gun in early last month.

Commonly called the flying squirrel, it belongs to the squirrel family and is mainly distributed in the northern Eurasian continent.

Its body length is about 15 to 20 cm, with a round head and very large eyes, and it has a membrane similar to wings that allows it to glide up to 30 meters.

In Korea, it is mainly found in the Baekdudaegan mountain range in Gangwon-do, where forest development is relatively less advanced, and is known as an indicator species representing the health of the forest ecosystem.

The large scops owl, designated and managed as Natural Monument No. 324, was also discovered in Hampyeong-gun around the same time.

Lee Jaewon, Secretary General of the Hampyeong Ecotourism Association, discovered a large scops owl caring for its chicks in a nest while conducting ecological observation on a local mountain in mid-last month.

The large scops owl resembles the common scops owl in appearance but has two stripes crossing the back of its neck, and its legs and feet are covered with feathers up to the base of the toes. Its red iris is also a distinctive feature.

Classified in the owl family, the large scops owl has a body length of about 20 to 25 cm and is mainly active at night.

It is known as a relatively common resident bird in Korea, but its population has sharply declined since the 1980s due to destruction of breeding and habitat areas caused by industrialization.

Lee Jaewon, Secretary General of the Hampyeong Ecotourism Association, said, “The presence of the natural monuments flying squirrel and large scops owl in the area itself proves the clean natural environment of Hampyeong,” adding, “More support and local residents’ interest are needed for Hampyeong to establish itself as a repository of wildlife rich in biodiversity.”

Meanwhile, the large scops owl and flying squirrel were designated as Natural Monuments No. 324 and No. 328 respectively in 1982, and especially the flying squirrel has been designated and protected as a Class 2 endangered wild species since 2012.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.