By Yeong-Seok Jo, 30th January 2026
Imagine a creature that dwells on the precipice—quite literally. The long-tailed goral Naemorhedus caudatus is a master of steep, rocky terrain, often found clinging to cliffs where few predators or humans dare to tread. In South Korea, this elusive species is classified as a Natural Monument and an Endangered Species; yet for decades, its distribution has remained uncertain. While we knew they were recovering from a population crash, we lacked a fundamental piece of the conservation puzzle: a comprehensive map of where they actually live.
A long-tailed goral Naemorhedus caudatus observing its surroundings from a rocky vantage point. Photo: Yeong-Seok Jo.
Conservation is difficult when such crucial data are missing. How do you protect a species if you don’t know exactly which mountains it occupies or which valleys it avoids? My colleagues and I set out to fill this knowledge gap by creating the first nationwide distribution map of the long-tailed goral in South Korea.
The research team setting up camera traps in the rugged terrain of the Baekdudaegan Mountain Range.
Yet our journey did not begin in the mountains, but at a computer. We used species distribution modelling to predict potential habitats based on environmental data. This gave us a treasure map of sorts—identifying over 300 grid cells (each measuring 10 × 10 km) that looked like ‘goral country’. Then, the real work began.
Typical goral habitat high elevation coniferous forests and rugged slopes. Photo: Yeong-Seok Jo.
From 2019 to 2022, our team conducted extensive field surveys. Searching for gorals is physically demanding; they prefer the rugged ridges of the Baekdudaegan Mountain Range. We hiked up steep slopes, scanning for characteristic signs like droppings, footprints and horn rubs on trees. We also deployed camera traps in areas where goral signs were absent.
Distributional map of the long-tailed goral in South Korea based on surveys conducted from 2019 to 2022.
Fieldwork brought moments of excitement: spotting fresh tracks on frosty mornings, navigating difficult terrain and discovering new pockets of suitable habitat. These experiences underscored the resilience of the goral—and the urgency of protecting it.
A camera trap captures a long-tailed goral at its resting place in winter. Photo: Yeong-Seok Jo.
The fieldwork was not without its challenges. We had to pause our surveys for several months due to an outbreak of African swine fever in wild boars, which required strict biosecurity measures and restricted access to our survey sites. Furthermore, the very terrain that gorals love—steep cliffs—made accessing the survey sites difficult. During the fieldwork, I even suffered a ruptured eardrum when a tree branch pierced my ear. Despite these hurdles, the results were rewarding. We confirmed goral presence in 123 of the grid cells we surveyed, concentrating primarily in the north-eastern and central-eastern mountains.
A camera trap captures a long tailed goral at its resting place in late spring. Photo: Yeong-Seok Jo.
Remarkably, we found a strict southern limit to their range; despite searching suitable habitats in the south, we detected no gorals below latitude 36°16’ N. Our modelling revealed that while gorals love high elevations and coniferous forests, they are extremely sensitive to human disturbances. They showed a strong aversion to paved roads and areas with high land prices, preferring the sanctuary of National Parks.
This nationwide distribution map offers critical guidance for future conservation planning. Protecting high‑elevation forests, restoring habitat corridors and reducing human disturbance are essential steps to safeguard the species. The goal is to ensure that these ‘ghosts of the mountains’ cannot only survive on their isolated cliffs, but can thrive across a connected landscape.
We hope this research inspires further collaboration and monitoring to ensure that the long‑tailed goral continues to thrive in Korea’s mountains.
The article ‘Mapping the distribution and predicting the presence of the Vulnerable long-tailed goral Naemorhedus caudatus in South Korea‘ is available open access in Oryx—The International Journal of Conservation.
