Coastal Area 14901 Adjacent waters of Kerama Islands

Basic Information References

Reason(s) for selection Criteria

Characteristics References

These are the waters in the vicinity of the Kerama Islands. The Kerama Islands are a leading region where rare species are identified, with fringing coral reefs and a high degree of diversity of species. Corl of these are an important source of larva on the coral reef in Nansei islands (Ministry of the Environment, 2001). Coral reefs are distributed densely in these highly transparent waters. The waters in the vicinity of Yakabijima Island and Kubajima Island are both important green turtle and loggerhead turtle spawning grounds and home to a valuable ecosystem in which the Ryukyu odd-tooth snake (a species of Colubridae) come down to the shore to eat hatchlings of sea turtles. They also are a feeding ground for green turtle and hawksbill turtle (Ministry of the Environment, 2001; Kamezaki, Taniguchi, 2013; Miyahira et al., 2000; Tomiyama and Miyahira, 2007). These also are important waters where humpback whales raise their young in the winter (Ogasawara Maritime Center and Kato, 2002; Calambokids et al., 2001).