Yeong-Seok Jo

• PhD
• Professor at Daegu University

Compared to European countries where the Siberian chipmunk (Tamias sibiricus) is an invasive species, there is a paucity of information on the ecology and natural history of Korean populations. T. sibiricus is a native species with large populations in Korea. We conducted field research during January to December 2012 in a forest habitat located in...

Wild canids were historically abundant in Korea; however, the gray wolf, dhole, and red fox were extirpated during the twentieth century. The causes varied. “Pest control” during the Japanese occupation, ecological destruction during wars, disease epizootics, and “vermin control” after the Korean War contributed to the complete demise of wolves. Th...

The striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius) is one of the most common mammals in Korea, however, limited research has focused on the population structure and biogeography of this mouse throughout Korea. In addition, the taxonomic status of the species remains unresolved. The objectives of our study were to address the inadequacies in understanding...

Severe habitat loss and fragmentation due to extensive road development have escalated wildlife–vehicle collisions (WVCs) as one of the major causes of wildlife mortality. This study, spanning 9 years from 2009 to 2017, presents comprehensive WVC data in South Korea, including species composition, seasonal and regional patterns, and road factors in...

We report the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of endangered yellow-throated marten, Martes flavigula. The complete mitochondrial genome of M. flavigula is 16,555 bp in length. We identified 13 protein coding genes, 22 transfer RNA, two ribosomal RNA, and one control region. The mitogenome is A+T rich, with a composition of 31.3% A, 28.7% C,...

The native Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa) is a relevant wildlife host for African swine fever (ASF) virus, contributing to infection maintenance and spread and representing a challenge for disease control. Combining published scientific evidence with expert opinion, we provide an updated global overview of ASF control in wild boar and feral pigs i...

Biological invasions are known to cause local extinctions on islands. Dok-do, a small, remote volcanic island in the East Sea of Korea in the western Pacific, has recently been invaded by rats, posing ecological problems. To infer their origin and invasion pathway, we collected rats from Dok-do and from the potential introduction source locations,...

To build a distribution model for Haemadipsa rjukjuana, we collected current occurrences of the species on Heuksando with adjacent islands. Based on current locations and 19 climate variables with DEM (digital elevation model), we built the MaxEnt (maximum entropy) species distribution model for H. rjukjuana in the islands. Then, we applied the Max...

Since the first known sighting in 2004, wild boar have frequently appeared in Seoul causing increased human–wildlife conflicts. Although South Korea designated wild boar as a ‘pest’ species, limited ecological information exists concerning habitat preference and use of the largest wild mammal in the country. Based on 213 presence points, we modeled...

Etymologies are explanations of what our words meant and how they sounded 600 to 2,000 years ago. When Linnaeus in the mid-1700s began naming animals with a binomial nomenclature, he based names on the Latin Grammatical Form. Since many names have Latin or Greek roots, the name for an animal is the same throughout the world because Latin is no long...

We report the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the endangered Eurasian otter, Lutra lutra. The complete mitochondrial genome is 16,537 bp in length and contains 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA, two ribosomal RNA, and one control region. The mitogenome is A + T rich, with a composition of 32.2% A, 27.5% C, 14.5% G, and 25.8% T. Phy...

African Swine Fever (ASF) was detected in South Korean pig farms in September 2019. Currently, ASF occurs mostly in wild boar (Sus scrofa). We describe the ASF dynamics in wild boar in South Korea from October 2019 to October 2020 and use case studies to evidence the advantages and limitations of the control measures applied. During 2019, ASF remai...

Although it is still common in undisturbed tropical habitats, populations of yellow-throated marten (Martes flavigula) have continuously declined throughout their range, particularly in South Korea where the population has been designated as an endangered species. Despite their threatened status, the northeastern population of yellow-throated marte...

Although the water deer, Hydropotes inermis is one of the most common large mammals in South Korea (Republic of Korea), it had limited distribution along southwestern part of the Korean Peninsula and currently inhabits most of the peninsula after several releases in 1950s and 1960s. Currently, water deer was documented from Primorskiy Krai, Russia...

South Korea is the only Asian country where African swine fever (ASF) is spreading in wild boar (Sus scrofa) populations. This rapid communication describes the situation of ASF in South Korea since its first detection on 17th Sep 2019 with special attention to ASF dynamics and management in wild boar. Since the first case in a wild boar was detect...

Although the Korean population of Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) was designated as an endangered species, habitat and basic ecology of Korean otters have been rarely known. To ascertain sprainting behavior of the Eurasian otter in the freshwater habitat and investigate the habitat preferences, otter surveys along the Ungok River in Gyeongsangbuk-do,...

The status of Asian populations of the Eurasian otter Lutra lutra is largely unknown. Since its designation as a Natural Monument (in 1983) and as Endangered (in 1997) in South Korea the authorities there have been trying to conserve and recover the species. We conducted a national otter survey by standard methods in 2017 and compared the current o...

Background The striped field mouse, Apodemus agrarius, is the most common mammal in Korea. Although microsatellite loci for the species have been identified from populations in southwestern China, amplification of those markers for Korean populations have been unsuccessful. The complicated taxonomy of Korean striped field mouse including population...

The Korean Peninsula and its associated Pacific islands have a distinctive, yet poorly studied mammalian fauna. Korea was a land of invasions and wars for many centuries. The loss of large mammals per unit area that has occurred in Korea may have been greater than in any other country. The peninsula has a depauperate rodent community. The forests a...

The Korean Peninsula and its associated Pacific islands have a distinctive, yet poorly studied mammalian fauna. Korea was a land of invasions and wars for many centuries. The loss of large mammals per unit area that has occurred in Korea may have been greater than in any other country. The peninsula has a depauperate rodent community. The forests a...

The cognizing of connectivity among small mammal populations across heterogeneous landscapes is complicated due to complex influences of landscape and anthropogenic factors on gene flow. A landscape genetics approach offers inferences on how landscape features drive population structure. Through a landscape genetics approach, we investigated influe...

Although the original concept of the peninsula effect was that fewer mammal species inhabited peninsulas than were found on the adjacent mainland, biogeographers have focused their attention on species richness gradients that bisect the long axes of peninsulas, instead of on the original concept. We evaluated the evidence for the peninsula effect,...

Eastern populations of the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) have declined throughout Asia. Although the South Korean government designated the Eurasian otter as an Endangered Species and Natural Monument, limited information exists on the distribution and habitat of this top predator in riparian ecosystems at this terminus of its distribution. We docum...

Nutria, or coypu (Myocastor coypus), were introduced to South Korea in 1985 and became an invasive species in the late 1990s. Despite being limited to the Nacdong River system, the nutria population is well established there. The common muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) invaded North Korea via the Russian and Chinese borders during the 1960s, but the sp...

Large cat species were historically abundant in Korea; however, most vanished during the 20th century. We examined the causes of this demise and diagnosed the feasibiity of felid restoration in modern Korea. “Pest” control during the Japanese Invasion (1910–1945) eradicated Panthera tigris (Siberian tiger), and Panthera pardus (Amur leopard). Lynx...

The eastern fox squirrel, native to the eastern and midwestern United States, was recently documented in the Sonoran Desert in the vicinity of Yuma, Arizona, constituting the first state record for this species. We surveyed the people of Yuma to determine when and how the squirrels arrived. The squirrels were first observed in the 1960s, but may ha...

Located 60 km from southern tip of Korean peninsula, Jeju is the largest Island in Korea and composed of volcanic habitat. Twenty-eight species of terrestrial mammals are listed from Jeju Island, of which 1 species and 3 subspecies are endemic. Also, 1 endangered species and 4 invasive alien species of land mammals are listed. Current status, brief...

We used a non-invasive technique with microsatellite primers to investigate genetic variation among Eurasian otters Lutra lutra in eastern South Korea. We collected twenty two otter spraints in January and six in August 2008. We used spraints from five dead otters from five different river systems for the present genetic analysis. We extracted DNA...

Nutria Myocastor coypus is one of a well known invasive riparian mammal found species around world from North America to Eurasia and Africa. In South Korea, feral nutrias inhabit areas from the Nakdonggang and Namgang (River) to their tributaries and Upo Wetland where they have had devastating effects on environment. Nevertheless, there has been li...

Before the construction of Hantangang dam, we surveyed vertebrate fauna along the Hantangang River and collected samples. We collected 248 specimens (1,394 individuals) of 41 fish species from 10 families in four orders, including 17 endemic species and 5 endangered species. In our herpetofauna survey, we collected 47 amphibian samples of 10 specie...

This study was designed to evaluate ecological characteristics of wildlife species of Korea and to recommend and implement an integrated process for improved wildlife species management system of Korea. Density and distribution of game species, Ring-necked Pheasant(Phasianus colchicus), Rufous Turtle Dove(Streptopelia orientalis), House Sparrow(Pas...

During 2008, small mammals were captured and examined for ticks at Chipori (Gangwon Province) and Nightmare (Gyeonggi Province) Ranges near the Demilitarized Zone, Republic of Korea (ROK). Ixodes nipponensis Kitaoka and Saito (75 nymphs, 835 larvae) was collected from Apodemus agrarius (Pallas), Micromys minutus (Pallas), and Crocidura lasiura Dobs...

The purposes of this study were to investigate the current otter distribution in Korea, to analyze genetic variation among these populations, and to ascertain the taxonomic status of the populations. Tracks, trails and spraints of otters were investigated by using modified standard research method for otters and each location of sprainting sites wa...

This study was designed to evaluate ecological characteristics of wildlife species of Korea and to recommend and implement an integrated process for improved wildlife species management system of Korea. Density and distribution of game species, Ring-necked Pheasant(Phasianus colchicus), Rufous Turtle Dove(Streptopelia orientalis), House Sparrow(Pas...

The purposes of this study were to evaluate ecological characteristics of wildlife species of Korea and to recommend and implement an integrated process for improved wildlife species management system of Korea. Density and distribution of game species, Ring-necked Pheasant(Phasianus colchicus), Rufous Turtle Dove(Streptopelia orientalis), House Spa...

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the ecological state and problems of eco-bridges on Korean roads. The study was conducted from March to April 2007 by checking ecological factors and wildlife around the eco-bridges and habitats. 8 representative eco-bridges were selected by their bridge shape and condition of location. After field survey,...

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the prey composition and utilization of the Eurasian otter, Lutra lutra, in the ecosystem conservation region of the Seomjin River. The study was conducted for a 12-month period from March 2003 to February 2004 by spraints analysis and an investigation using artificial holts. We found seasonal variation in...

This study was conducted to infer habitat distribution of Eurasian otter Lutra lutra in Korea. We recognized trace or presence of otter spraints from 254 of 750 pixels (pixel size: 13.75X11 km) used in this survey, amounting to 34%. The highest frequency of localities, with the spraints present, occurred in Gyeongsangbuk-do (49.62%) and the lowest...

This Study was Analysis about Habitat of Eurasian otter Lutra lutra L. In October 2002 during September 2003, Otter Spraints and Sprainting site were searched in river Unkog of North-Kyongsang Province for taking the GPS coordinates. For Analysis of habitat, This data were used by Arcview ver. 3.2 with 1/25000 Topology Map and Other Field data. The...