A closer look at the Gorani — the “wondrous, elusive endangered Korean deer” — whose eerie nighttime screams echo across the mountains.
Meet the Gorani, a wondrous, furry, fuzzy animal that is extremely rare worldwide yet surprisingly easy to spot in Korea. Their soft appearance and delicate frame suggest something gentle — until night falls.
The gorani is Korea’s tiny tusked deer with full forest-myth energy
No antlers, little saber teeth, elusive wetland charm — the Korean water deer looks like nature invented a woodland side character and gave it main-character mystery.
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Especially near the mountains, their piercing cries cut through the darkness. Even casual visitors to the countryside hear them often. And for soldiers on night duty, these terrifying, human‑like screams have become a notorious part of the landscape.
The reason the Gorani have become so abundant in Korea is the near‑total loss of natural predators. Once‑dominant wild animals like tigers disappeared after the Japanese colonial period and the Korean War, leaving the Gorani with virtually no threats. Today, their only major “predator” is the cars on the road.
As a result, while the species remains endangered globally, their population in Korea continues to rise — to the point of becoming a significant nuisance.
They cause severe agricultural damage, with losses estimated at nearly $1.8 million nationwide. Because of this, the government has stepped in with population management and control measures, attempting to balance conservation with the realities of rural life.
Their story is a strange paradox: a globally rare species that thrives in Korea, adored for its cuteness, feared for its screams, and increasingly challenging to coexist with.
