Streams rich in biodiversity, with endemic including Kikuzato’s Stream Snake and Kumejima Firefl y Streams in Kume-jima Permanent and Seasonal Streams Geographical Coordinates: 26°22’N, 126°46’E / Altitude: 120-280m / Area: 255ha / Major type of wetland: Permanent and seasonal streams / Designation: Natural Habitat Conservation Area under the Law for the Conservation of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora / Municipalities involved: Kumejima Town, Okinawa Prefecture / Ramsar designation: October 2008 / Ramsar Criteria: 2

Kumejima Firefl ies fl ashing in unison

Upper reach of Shirase River

Middle reaches of Shirase River View of the designated area (right hand side) from Uegusukudake Kumejima General Overview: Minami Kume-jima is an island located approxi- Freshwater Crab mately 100km west of the main island of Okinawa. The island has an area of ap- proximately 5900ha with a shoreline that stretches approximately 48km. In the northern area of the island, the ridge of Kikuzato’s Stream hills including O-take (230m) and Uegu- Snake suku-dake (309m) runs from west to east in an arching line. In the southeast, a gen- tly sloping terrain extends with the Uraji There are two facilities, Kumejima Na- [Other Rare Species] Reptile: Yamashina’s river and Shirase river running through it. ture & Culture Center and Kumejima Firefl y Ground Gecko Goniurosaurus kuroiwae Steep slopes face the sea in the north. Museum, for conservation management yamashinae, Kumejimahai Sinomicrurus With a mean annual temperature of 22.4 and public awareness. japonicus takarai / Amphibian: Ryukyu degrees C and an annual precipitation of [Kikuzato’s Stream Snake Opisthotropis Brown Frog Rana okinavana / Birds: Japa- approximately 2200mm, the hills in such kikuzatoi] This Snake is an endemic snake nese Wood Pigeon Columba janthina / sub-tropical climate are covered with to the streams in Kume-jima island with Crustacea: Kumejima Minami Freshwa- dense forest dominated by Castanopsis a body length of 60cm and a dark brown ter Crab Candidiopotamon kumejimense, sieboldii ssp. lutchuensis and Ryukyu Pine body with yellow spots on the back. It has Kumejima Great Freshwater Crab Geothel- Tree. These hills are a good catchment adapted to a life in water and has nostrils phusa kumejima / : Kumejima area for the large amount of clean fresh on the upper part of its head. The snake Allomyrina dichotoma inchachina, water that constantly springs out from the is innocuous and feeds on small Kumejima Prosopocoilus Prosopocoilus cracks of rocks. such as freshwater crabs. The ecology of dissimilis kumezimaensis / Shells: Kumejima Rich Biodiversity: this species is still unknown because the Snail Satsuma mercatoria kumejimaensis. The Ramsar site covers the ecosystem number of those that have been found and Contact Information: of numerous small streams that originate identifi ed is too small. Kumejima Town Offi ce from the hills, and the wetland around [Kumejima Firefl y Luciola owadai] The http://www.town.kumejima.okinawa.jp/ them. The streams sometimes run under Kumejima Firefl y is a 1.5-1.8cm long fi re- the ground and the clean water contain- fl y found to be endemic to Kume-jima in ing rich dissolved oxygen provide a humid 1993. It looks like the Japanese Firefl y condition favorable to many endangered Luciola cruciata. The larvae live in streams Otake 230m species endemic to Kume-jima such as and feed on some snail species such as Streams in Uegusukudake 309m Kikuzato’s Stream Snake, Kumejima Fire- . Adults emerge Kume-jima Hiyajo

fl y, and Kumejima Minami Freshwater from April to the beginning of May. Mem- Kumejima Crab. It is an ecosystem unique to Kume- bers in a group synchronize fl ashing their Airport jima, and valuable in terms of scientifi c lights. Uraji research as well. [Ryukyu Black-Breasted Leaf Turtle Uezu River Shirase The area is a management area for Geoemyda japonica] A species of tortoise River “Natural Habitat Conservation Area for endemic to Okinawa islands, with the shell Nakadomari Kikuzato’s Stream Snake” under the “Law of 13 -15cm long. The edge of the shell is Kumejima Firefly Museum for the Conservation of Endangered Spe- jagged like a saw. They live in wet environ- East China Sea Gima cies of Wild Fauna and Flora”. ments in the mountain forest.

54 RAMSAR SITES in