| Amami Guntō National Park | |
|---|---|
| 奄美群島国立公園 | |
 Mangrove forest in Amami Guntō National Park | |
 Location of Amami Guntō National Park | |
| Location | Japan |
| Nearest city | Amami |
| Coordinates | 27°46′48″N128°54′54″E / 27.78°N 128.915°E /27.78; 128.915 |
| Area | 75,263 ha (185,980 acres) (land: 42,181 ha, water: 33,082 ha) |
| Established | March 7, 2017 (2017-03-07) |
| Governing body | Ministry of the Environment (Japan) |
Amami Guntō National Park (奄美群島国立公園,Amami Guntō Kokuritsu Kōen) is anational park inKagoshima Prefecture,Japan. Established in 2017, the park comprises a land area of 42,181 ha (104,230 acres) and a sea area of 33,082 ha (81,750 acres). The national park includes areas of these islands:Tokunoshima,Kikai,Amami,Yoron,Okinoerabujima,Uke Island,Kakeromajima andYoroshima.
On 15 February 1974 the Amami Guntō Quasi-National Park was founded onAmami Ōshima.[1] On 7 March 2017 the Amami Guntō National Park was established and it subsumed the former Amami Guntō Quasi-National Park. The Amami Guntō National Park includes parts of themunicipalities ofAmagi,Amami,China,Isen,Kikai,Setouchi,Tatsugō,Tokunoshima,Uken,Wadomari,Yamato, andYoron.
The designation of the new National Park, alongside that ofYanbaru National Park, is part of the movement to haveAmami-Oshima Island,Tokunoshima Island,the northern part of Okinawa Island andIriomote Island inscribed on theUNESCOWorld Heritage List.[2][3][4][5]
The Amami Wildlife Center is managed by Japan'sMinistry of the Environment to protect and preserve the natural ecosystem of theAmami Islands.
Total designated area is 75,263 ha (185,980 acres) (land: 42,181 ha, water: 33,082 ha). It is aWorld Heritage Site candidate. The national park consists of areas from these islands:Tokunoshima,Kikai,Amami,Yoron,Okinoerabujima,Uke Island,Kakeromajima andYoroshima.
This national park featurescoral reefs,mangrove forests andtidal flats. A unique ecosystem has developed withendemic species such as theAmami rabbit,Ryukyu spiny rat, birds:Amami's jay,Ryukyu robin. There are also snakes such asHabu and amphibians such as:Ishikawa's frog,Japanese warty newt and theRyūkyū scops owl.
Yuwandake is covered with subtropical hardwood forests such asCastanopsis sieboldii andNeolitsea aciculata and it has valuable vegetation. There are coral reefs, mangrove forests at the mouth of the Katsushi River and underwater scenery.
Noticeable coastal terraces are distributed on the islands. Hyakunodai Park is a plateau where coral reefs have developed.
This is a limestone island with aKarst topography. There is a naturalSea cave created by erosion. Mt. Inokawa is known as a treasure of endemic plants including ferns.
There are large-scale caves such as the Shoryu Cavern and a water tunnel. Sea cliffs developed in the area of Minamata and Kunigamizaki.
The entire coast is designated as part of the national park except for the area around Yoron Airport.Coral reefs surround the island.
