Lynx

The notorious Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that separates the two Koreas forms one of the most dangerous and highly militarized borders in the world. Yet 55 years after it was established, it has become a wildlife preserve of 390 square miles, home to flocks of rare cranes and some of the last wild bears and leopards in the region.

The Christian Science Monitor's story of this wildlife haven describes how this nature park could become a step toward peace between the two Koreas. Urban development is encroaching on the land, which is strictly off-limits to people. But red-crowned cranes, the world's rarest, enjoy the park's wetlands, as do the spotted seal, Chinese water deer, and lynx.