Because Dokdo is an island group, freshwater is always scarce, while its strong, salty sea winds make for a highly inhospitable environment for plants and animals. However, despite the barren environment, there are insects, sea birds and marine life that make Dokdo their home. In particular, the ocean around Dokdo, where warm and cold currents intersect, is rich in marine life, home to a variety of fish and shellfish such as whale, octopus, pollack, saury, squid, shrimp, abalone, turbo, and sea cucumber. Among these, abalone, turbines and crabs are considered Dokdo's most valuable marine resources.

	Seagulls fly by the navigation assistance station on Dokdo

Dokdo is also a popular rest stop for sea birds. It is well known as a nesting place for the storm petrel, streaked shearwater, and black-tailed gull, and is inhabited by 22 species of birds, including the kestrel, osprey, and Naumann's thrush. In order to protect the rare birds that gather here, the Korean government designated Dokdo as Natural Monument No. 336 in November 1982. In this way, it has become a sanctuary for migratory birds to rest their tired wings, and a residence for 7 orders, 26 families and 37 species of insects, including dragonflies, earwigs, grasshoppers, ground beetles and butterflies.

Due to Dokdo's strong sea winds and barren soil, only a few types of plants originally grew in the cracks between the rocks. However, pine trees, camellias, black pines, spindle trees, wild grapes and other types of trees have been transplanted here, thereby adorning these islands with their flowers. Many plants commonly found on the mainland can be seen on the islands, such as dandelions, wood sorrel, foxtails, finger grass, purslane, wild spinach and plantains. Holly ferns grow wild near the crater on the eastern island and along the cliffs of the western island.