National Park of American Samoa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids National Park of American Samoa |
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IUCN Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape)
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| Location | American Samoa, United States |
| Nearest city | Pago Pago |
| Area | 13,500 acres (55 km2) |
| Established | October 31, 1988 |
| Visitors | 28,626 (in 2018) |
| Governing body | National Park Service |
| Website | National Park of American Samoa |
The National Park of American Samoa is a special place in the United States territory of American Samoa. It spreads across three islands: Tutuila, Ofu, and Ta‘ū. This park helps protect amazing coral reefs, thick tropical rainforests, unique fruit bats, and the local Samoan culture.
Many people enjoy hiking and snorkeling here. The park covers about 13,500 acres. About 9,000 acres are land, and 4,500 acres are beautiful coral reefs and ocean. This park is the only American National Park Service unit located south of the equator.
Contents
Park History
The idea for the park started in 1984. A leader named Fofó Iosefa Fiti Sunia wanted to protect the home of the flying fox bats and the old rainforests. This was the first step for American Samoa to join the U.S. National Park System. The National Park Service began working on the park in July 1987.
The National Park of American Samoa officially opened on October 31, 1988. However, the National Park Service could not buy the land. This was because of the traditional Samoan system where land is owned by the community. In 1993, a solution was found. The National Park Service agreed to lease the park land from the Samoan village councils for 50 years. In 2002, the park grew bigger, adding more land on Olosega and Ofu islands.
In September 2009, a big earthquake and tsunami hit the area. This caused a lot of damage to the park. The visitor center and main office were destroyed. Luckily, only one park staff member was reported injured.
Exploring the Park Islands
The National Park of American Samoa is spread across three main islands. Each island offers different things to see and do.
Tutuila Island
The Tutuila part of the park is on the north side of the island, close to Pago Pago. It includes areas like the Amalau Valley and the islands of Pola and Manofā.
This is the only part of the park you can reach by car. Most visitors come here. You can hike a trail to the top of Mount Alava. There are also historic World War II gun sites at Breakers Point and Blunt's Point. The trail goes through a thick forest along a ridge.
Ofu Island
Ofu island is a bit harder to get to. You can only reach it by small fishing boats from Ta'u island. There are places to stay if you want to visit Ofu.
Ta‘ū Island
You can fly to Ta‘ū island from Tutuila. The plane lands at Fiti‘uta village. There are also places to stay on Ta‘ū. A trail leads from Saua around Si’u Point to the southern coast. You can also climb stairs to the top of Lata Mountain, which is 3,170 feet (966 meters) high.
Amazing Plants and Animals
Because these islands are far away, they have some unique plants and animals. About 30% of the plants and one bird species, the Samoan starling, are found only here. This is called being endemic.
Animals of the Park
Only three types of native mammals live here, and they are all bats! Two are large fruit bats, the Samoa flying fox and the white-naped flying fox. The third is a tiny insect-eating bat called the Pacific sheath-tailed bat. These bats are very important because they help pollinate the island's plants.
Other native animals include several types of geckos and skinks, and the Pacific boa snake. The park also works to control animals that don't belong here, like wild pigs. These animals can harm the park's natural balance.
Many bird species live in the park. The most common ones are the wattled honeyeater, the Samoan starling, and the Pacific pigeon. You might also spot unusual birds like the Tahiti petrel or the rare many-colored fruit dove.
Plants of the Park
The islands are mostly covered by thick tropical rainforest. This includes "cloud forests" on Ta'u and lowland forests on Tutuila. Most of these plants came from Southeast Asia by chance. There are 343 types of flowering plants and 135 types of ferns. About 30% of these plants are found only in American Samoa.
Marine Life
The waters around the islands are full of amazing sea creatures. You can find sea turtles, humpback whales, over 950 kinds of fish, and more than 250 types of coral. Some of the biggest living coral colonies in the world are found near Ta'u island.
Island Geology
The islands of American Samoa are shield volcanoes. They formed from a "hot spot" under the Pacific Plate. This means hot rock from deep inside the Earth pushed up to create the islands. They appeared one after another, from west to east. Tutuila is the largest and oldest island, formed about 1.2 to 1.4 million years ago. The smaller islands are much younger.
These islands are not just single volcanoes. They are made of many layers of basalt lava flows that overlap. Much of the lava has broken into angular pieces called breccia. On Ta'u island, the youngest island in the park, a volcano collapsed long ago. This created huge sea cliffs over 3,000 feet (914 meters) high on the north side. These are some of the tallest cliffs in the world!
Even though the Samoan islands haven't had big volcanic eruptions for many years, the "Samoa hotspot" is still active. A volcano under the sea, called the Vailulu'u Seamount, is growing east of Ta'u. It's like a future Samoan island forming underwater from lava flows. This seamount has grown over 14,764 feet (4,500 meters) from the ocean floor in just 5 to 50 years!
Scientists have also found evidence of past landslides on the islands. These happen when rocks and soil slide into the ocean due to weathering and erosion. On Ta'u island, a large landmass called Liu Bench could one day slide into the ocean. If this happens, it could create a tsunami powerful enough to affect islands like Fiji.
Threats to the Park
The beautiful coral reefs in the park are in danger. Rising ocean temperatures and more carbon dioxide in the water are big problems. Also, sea level rise threatens the reefs. Scientists believe that if these problems continue, many corals could be lost by the middle of this century.
The 2020 American Samoa Quarter
In 2018, the U.S. Mint created new designs for the 2020 America the Beautiful National Park of American Samoa Quarter. One side of the quarter shows George Washington, as usual. The other side, called the "tails," features a Samoa fruit bat mother hanging in a tree with her baby.
This image shows how much care these bats give to their young. It also helps people learn that this species is threatened by habitat loss and hunting. The National Park of American Samoa is the only known park in the United States that is home to the Samoan fruit bat. The bat design was created by Richard Masters. The coin was released in February 2020.
See also
In Spanish: Parque nacional de Samoa Americana para niños
