Value of Hahajima Island as a World Natural Heritage site Ecosystem: notable example of biological evolutionary process In the Ogasawara Islands, we can find numbers of endemic species that have evolved into various forms in small islands isolated by the sea. The on- going evolutionary processes of animals and plants Hahajima can be witnessed here. Land Snails Island Among the various animals and plants found in Ogasawara, snails are a representative group of Natural Heritage Guide animals that have attained diverse evolution. At least 90% of the snails are endemic species. In particular, snails belonging to the Mandarina genus have differentiated into various shapes and colors as a result of evolutionary processes to adapt to specific habitats, Subtropical rain forest such as trees and the ground. Forest of tall trees distributed in areas such as Sekimon in Hahajima Island. Clouds are created by damp sea winds running up the high mountains An arboreal species that of Hahajima and cover the upper parts of the lives at upper parts of mountains. This forest composed of rain- and trees. It has a tall and moisture loving plants provide habitat for a Mandarina hahajimana small shell with light color. large number of endemic creatures. In the onia umbelli Pis fer Damp winds from the sea a clouds, collide to create clouds. where it is humid most of the time. A semi-arboreal species that lives on barks of trees. It has a flat and small shell with slightly light color. top cove ain re nt d Mandarina kaguya u by o c l m o A ground dwelling species e u h d T s that lives on the ground. Although Boninosuccinea ogasawarae It has a flat shell with (endemic species) is a species dark color. of snail, its shell has been degenerated Mandarina aureola adapting to a humid environment. e ccin a oga su sa no w i a n r o a B e Length of Mandarina polita Mandarina Reasons for Ogasawara Animals & Plants Changing ecosystem being inscribed as a World Natural In the Ogasawara Islands, a large number of The original ecosystem of Ogasawara is endemic species are distributed in small islands. changing because of the impact of animals Hahajima Island is an important breeding site Heritage site and plants brought in by people for the lycaenid butterfly and the endemic As a result of unique subspecies of Japanese wood-pigeon. (alien species). evolution in small islands The original isolated by the sea, a large ecosystem of Eurasian number of endemic creatures buzzard Ogasawara Ogasawara and their ecosystems can be endemic before humans species observed in Ogasawara. This Lycaenid and alien organisms was valued highly and these butterfly Seabird Japanese arrived: islands were designated as a This is the most Wood-pigeon threatened butterfly in Bonin flying fox World Natural Heritage site Japan. It once inhabited in June 2011. Chichijima Island, but can now only be found on Lycaenid butterfly Meimuna Hahajima Island. boninensis Natural monument. Mandarina mandarina Characteristics Pandanus Livistona boninensis chinensis var. boninensis of Hahajima Island Ogasawara endemic Pittosporum subspecies parvifolium var. Hahajima Island has the second largest area beecheyi 2 Japanese Callicarpa Elaeocarpus (20.2 km ) in the Ogasawara Islands, next to subpubescens photiniaefolius wood-pigeon Chichijima Island. The weather is often wet, It is a type of pigeon with a cloudy, and foggy in the 400-meter-high purplish-red colored head. Hahajima Island is an mountains of Hahajima Island. important breeding site. Natural monument. The changing Eurasian ecosystem of buzzard Ogasawara Hahajima Wild cat after humans Island Bonin endemic and alien species honeyeater organisms It has characteristic black arrived: triangle patterns around the Green anole eyes.Hahajima Island and its satellite islands (Mukohjima Black Island and Imotojima Island). rat Special natural monument. Casuarina equisetufolium Hahajima Island endemic species Bischofia Calanthe hoshii javanica Leucaena leucocephala This species only grows on Hahajima Island, and only a 2012 March Ogasawara Islands Branch Registration No. (23) 11 few strains of this plant grow Office,Tokyo Metropolitan Produced/published by: Ogasawara Islands Branch Various measures taken to restore the Office,Tokyo Metropolitan in the wild. Government Government Nishimachi, Chichijima, Ogasawara Photography: Haruki Karube original ecosystem of Ogasawara. Village, Tokyo, 100-2101 Satoshi Chiba TEL : +81(0)4998-2-2123 Edited by: PREC Institute Inc. FAX : +81(0)4998-2-2302 Illustration & Disign: HABAAlisa See next page for details. Map of the Hahajima Island H Natural Heritage e ty r r ita pe ge pro Land snails Road Trail To prevent Measures against invasions of alien Bischofia javanica The endemic subspecies species: Please do not of Eurasian buzzard bring in plants, Measures against animals, soil, Wrong? Measures against Bischofia javanica Protection of the or seedlings Bischofia javanica with soil. lycaenid butterfly Seeds and small insects may live in the soil. Stop! Subtropical rain forest Sekimon You must be Land snails accompanied Japanese by a guide wood-pigeon To prevent to enter the spread of alien the forests species: Brush off all traces of soil Many efforts to protect the when you go Land snails out. lycaenid butterfly and its habitat are made with the cooperation of local for green a residents. es no Some seeds nc le Insects e s can stick to Seeds F your clothes. Soil Land snails Small animals Do not roll up your pants. Lycaenid Land snails butterfly Check the soles Measures against of your shoes. green anoles To protect the home of Follow the endemic species: designated route. Ogasawara Village Bonin Tourist Association honeyeater Land snails Cleaning the soles Bonin of shoes honeyeater Forests are home to many different living things. Land snails Measures against wild cats Measures against green anoles s/ For information at c ld about guided tours: Mukohjima i s Symplocos w e l boninensis r o Hahajima Tourist Association, o n Island f a s Ogasawara n e e c e n r Bonin e g honeyeater F +81(0)4998 3 2300 Closed: When the day following departure of Ogasawara Maru is a Saturday, Sunday, or national holiday. Japanese wood-pigeon 8:00 12:00, 13:30 17:00 Actions to recover the original ecosystem of Ogasawara Bischofia Green anoles Predatory Wild cats flatworm “Mew!” Drill, place chemicals in holes, and cork. Green anoles live only on Chichijima and The predatory flatworm eats land snails. Hahajima Islands, where people also live. The flatworms, its eggs and other alien Traps are set around the ports to prevent species can be spread when they stick green anoles from spreading across to the On Hahajima Island, seabird breeding to the soles of shoes. To prevent such grounds in Minamizaki are enclosed with Chemicals are used to control Bischofia to satellite islands. To protect the insects on species invasions of Hahajima Island, people fences to protect breeding seabirds from stop its rapid invasion of the endemic forests Hahajima Island, efforts have been made to disembarking from the Hahajima Maru boat attacks by wild cats. In addition, wild cats are of Ogasawara and to restore the original partially eliminate green anoles using are asked to wash the soles of their shoes captured by using basket traps mainly in ecosystem. measures such as enclosing parts of the forest with fences. on a mat soaked with seawater. areas close to the fences..