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`The plight of some endangered species stemming from environment pollution as well as indiscriminate poaching and harvesting has put spotlight on the need for concerted world efforts to conserve the natural ecosystem. The Ministry of Information and Communication has been issuing special annually in an effort to encourage the public to join in the drive to protect rare animal and plant species by rasing public awareness. This time, the Korean terrapin and the Korean skink were selected for depiction on stamps. The Korean terrapin (Geoclemys reevesii Gray) inhabits Korea, Japan, China , and Taiwan. They have a varied diet, with fish and crustaceans accounting for the bulk. It is normally 12~25cm long. From June to August, females dig holes in the sand on beaches in which they lay four to six eggs. The Korean terrapin is typified by a dark brown carapace, a black or blackish brown plastron, and its head and legs in dark grayish-brown. Its carapace is shaped like an elongated oval. Its four limbs are coverd with wide scales and have well-developed flippers. The Korean skink (Scincella laterale (Say) lives chiefly in tropical regions. It is very rarely found in Korea. It often reaches a length of 7.5cm with a tail measuring about 4.5cm long. If attacked, the tail may be served and regenerated. The back of this reptile is blackish brown and the backside, grayish brown, with a dark brown band running from the nostril to the tail. It is nocturnal, living in the spaces between moist rocks and feeding primarily on insects, earthworms, and spiders. In June and July, it lays eight to nine eggs under stones or in grass. The Ministry of Information and Communication is issuing these two postage stamps in the hopes of bringing further attention to endangered species and preserving the precious living resources of the world.`