There is provided a scanning endoscope including an optical scanning unit in which an angle at which illumination light is emitted from a leading edge of an insertion portion is changed to scan the emitted illumination light on an object, a plurality of light receiving portions which is circumferentially spaced apart at the leading edge of the insertion portion and receives return light returning from the object as a result of the optical scanning unit scanning the illumination light, a light detection unit that detects the intensity of the received return light, a return light selection unit that selects the return light whose intensity is equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold, and a storage unit that stores the intensity of the return light selected by the return light selection unit in association with the position where the optical scanning unit scans the illumination light.