The first endangered species, the mountainless weasel, was discovered in Chungju.

Chungju City, North Chungcheong Province, announced on the 11th that the endangered species of ferret was confirmed for the first time in Suanbo-myeon.

The ferret is the smallest mammal among Korean carnivores, with a body length of about 15 cm, a tail length of about 4 cm, and a weight of less than 100 g.

Its fur is brown in the summer, but its entire body turns white in the winter.

It is known as an animal that mainly hunts rodents, birds, and amphibians, and plays an important role in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem by eating up to 3,000 rats per year.

The city explained that the unmanned sensor camera installed in Suanbo-myeon to determine the habitat status of wildlife in the area captured the ferret, a class 1 endangered wild species.

The mountainless weasel is a species that is not easy to observe, having been confirmed again in 8 years in 2025 since it was first captured in July 2017 in Jiri Mountain.

The city explained that this discovery is significant in that it confirms the importance of the forest ecosystem connected to the national park.

In a survey conducted in three myeons, including Suanbo-myeon, Dongryang-myeon, and Salmi-myeon, since last May, a total of six species of endangered wildlife were identified, including the mountain goat, otter, flying squirrel, marten, and lynx.

A city official said, "This discovery is expected to be important data in understanding the biodiversity of the Chungju region and the domestic distribution of the ferret. Through continuous monitoring, we will identify the habitat status of endangered wildlife and create a stable habitat environment."