Recently I went to the Eunsan Woolim Ecological Museum (은산어울림생태박물관). Don't let the name confuse you, it's more of a small reptile zoo than a museum because there are plenty of creepy-crawly critters about.
The White's tree frogs are my favourite. There are a lot of cool Youtube channels like ぴよのカエルch where you can see these fun fellows.
I was very fortunate to reserve a ticket for the reptile museum on a Saturday because the amount of visitors are limited and weekends fill up fast. It's very popular for people with young children, but I just went with my wife, lol.
They let you interact with some of the animals. These treefrogs are the most friendly. These guys make good pets because they are sociable and like to be handled far more than any other type of frog I know of. He is far larger than the tree frogs native to Korea. He was a little slimy actually.
The reason I like this museum is that it is privately owned and quite intimate actually. The museum is run by two post-doctorate students. The man has been collecting reptiles since he was a boy and the woman likes cats and reptiles. They aren't a couple, I asked.
The Ball Python is fun to play with. Unlike the frogs, he isn't slimy or sticky, but he can also hold on tight. I like his tongue.
The man was dressed in a labcoat and told us the story of his museum. Basically, he had so many reptiles in his house his parents kicked him out. I don't understand why. Anyway, he was working at a larger theme park, in the reptile house. However, he said they put the guest's experience before the well-being of the animals, so he didn't like it. I agree, I'm in their home so I should be respectful. Their safety and comfort is most important.
The zookeeper wouldn't let us touch this African Bullfrog. Apparently he has a nasty bite and enjoys the taste of human fingers. He is a blobby beast.
Even though it was mostly for children, I enjoyed looking at the reptiles. I also liked the fact that he educated. Mostly he talked about the importance of being kind to animals and that means understanding them. Apparently, a lot of people are afraid of reptiles, but if you respect them, they will respect you. People have the capacity to be smarter. It's not the reptile's (or in frog's case amphibian) problem they have smaller, less evolved brains.
Some of the animals were for display only. This sailfin lizard is probably best left in its terrarium for everyone's safety.
I didn't bother counting or asking how many animals were on display, but if I had to guess, I would say about 50 different species. Mostly there were lizards, frogs, snakes and turtles, but there were also some fish and cats. The museum itself is not that large being 3 rooms only. However, I think it was very impressive given the amount of space. Also, I learned a lot and I probably know more than average about reptiles and amphibians.
The man is also an expert at taxidermy. There were some stuffed animals, pinned insects, animal skeletons and turtle shells on display. I liked seeing the jumping frog. The cat and parrot skeletons are also neat.
The museum did have a few exhibits that aren't living animals. He explained that he made them all himself. Some of them were his beloved pets. You can learn a lot from chopping up dead animals and trying to put them back together. I think as long as you don't kill them specifically to do this and have some sort of non-morbid goal, it's fine.
The Chameleon is another animal that is quite delicate, so best left in the cage. He did let it crawl on a few of the more calm people though. He explained you can tell by its colour if it is too stressed. Also, he waited until he knew the children whom he couldn't trust to behave.
I've always wanted to get a pet chameleon, just because I like how their eyes move about. They remind me of someone who has just rated out a mafia boss, so nervous and cautious. Even though they are slow and often don't appear to be doing much, I can watch them all day. I'm also very patient.
*The red-eyed tree frog is perhaps the most colorful amphibian out there. Maybe the poison dart frogs (I couldn't get good pictures) are more vivid, but this guy has several different bright colors. He is also very sticky.
Interestingly, the guide did take out some animals that are harmless, but he wouldn't let us touch. This treefrog was one of them. However, later on when he was letting the other visitor pet the tortoises (I had no interest), the woman did let me hold the red-eye treefrog. She explained that he has been trying to breed these things for years and failed so he is an over-protective daddy.
I'm usually not a fan of insects museums or butterfly houses. However, most of these butterflies are common. I think I've seen at least 10 of them around and I don't particularly go looking for them.
I've always wondered what goes through the mind of butterfly collectors. Unlike the reptiles, I'm pretty sure he gases the butterflies while they are still alive. I didn't feel like asking him, but that's usually how it's done. For some reason, most people don't think killing common insects are a problem. I've never understood why, especially if it isn't like a mosquito attacking you.
The pig-nosed turtle is another display-only animal. I'm not sure why anyone would want to keep one as a pet. However, this is a museum and the owners are well-qualified.
Learning about animals and nature is important. However, they should be well treated while doing so. I've been to several small museums around Korea and this one was probably my favourite, well worth the 40-minute drive from my house and the $6 admission fee. According to the man, I was the second foreigner who visited in the 4 years since it opened and the other guy was also keen on creepy-crawlers.
The crocodile skeleton was his prized piece. I was more interested in the cat that decided to sleep below it. The cats were the only creatures besides humans who were un-caged. I'm not sure why they get such a privilege, especially when they ignore guide ropes.
For those that want to visit, this museum is located in Eunsan Village which is on the outskirts of Pyeongtaek City, South Korea, and you need a reservation (Korean language only). Anyone who has been in the USFK would know Pyeongtaek since it's near the largest US military base outside of America. You can take a cab from Songtan Station to get here.