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National Park of American Samoa
Nature & Science
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NPS photo by Tavita Togia. |
Brown booby, fua'o, nest on Pola Ridge. |
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Overview
The Samoan Archipelago is a typical Pacific Ocean Volcanic Island arc. As the Pacific Ocean plate moves across a stationary hot spot (a place where molten rock from the Earth's mantle pierces the lithosphere plate) it forms a line of volcanoes, some of which reach the ocean surface to form a string of islands. The National Park of American Samoa is really 'three parks' on four separate islands--Ta'u, Ofu/Olosega, and Tutuila. American Samoa National Park is undeveloped and remote--in the Southern hemisphere and near the International Date Line and (from America) in the far Pacific. These web pages offer you an opportunity to visit the park vicariously--and appreciate the park's unique culture, biodiversity and scenic beauty, and day-dream of actually visiting Ofu, Olosega, Ta'u, and Tutuila. Plan to spend some time here someday.
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Natural History Guide to the Park The on-line version of our latest book more... | | Fish Inventory Lots of pictures of our local fishes more... | | Coral Inventory More than 200 species, many illustrated more... | | Plant Inventory Checklist of higher plants with some illustrations more... | |
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Did You Know?
Throughout the Pacific the main reason for the rarity of the two fruit bat species, or flying foxes, is that it is widely sought as a food and considered a delicacy. Sale or trade in fruit bats is now illegal in the U.S. and its territories.
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Last Updated: January 29, 2008 at 13:44 EST |