American Samoa National Park's 10,500 acres of paleotropical rainforests, pristine coral reefs, and magnificent white sand beaches are located on the three South Pacific islands of Tutuila, Ofu, and Ta'u.Two lush rainforest preserves and a coral reef are home to unique tropical animals including the flying fox, Pacific boa, tortoises, and an array of birds and fish.
From the mountaintops down to the ocean's edge, these islands are covered with a diverse, mixed-species, paleotropical (Old World) rainforest. Samoa's rainforest is closely related to that of Asia and Africa, as opposed to the neotropical (New World) rainforests of Central and South America.
Depending on elevation, the forest can be characterized as coastal, lowland, ridge, montane, or cloud forest. In addition to many species of trees, vegetation here includes vines, ferns, lichens, epiphytes (air plants), and mosses.
The Manu'a Islands (Ofu, Olosega, Ta'u) of eastern American Samoa are famous for their history, culture, and spectacular beauty. The wildlife of Manu'a is also special. Since the Manu'a Islands are only 60 miles east of Tutuila, one might expect that the same kinds of birds and animals would be found in both places, but in fact, there are four species of birds living in Manu'a that do not occur on Tutuila.
The most beautiful of the birds of Manu'a is Samoa's only parrot, the segavao, or blue-crowned lory. This tiny jewel of a bird, only 7 inches long, is colored with emerald-green back and wings, ruby red face and throat, and a sapphire-blue crown. In historic times these colorful feathers were used to decorate fine mats.
American Samoa is home to many different birds and fish and a few very interesting mammals. There are more than 35 species of birds, both resident and migratory, including seabirds, water birds, forest birds, and shore birds. The cliffs and sea stacks are ideal nesting habitat for tropical seabirds, while the rainforest is home to collared kingfishers, cardinal and wattled honeyeaters, blue-crowned lories, Samoan starlings, purple-capped fruit doves, many-colored fruit doves, Pacific pigeons, and banded rails.
Bats are the only native mammals found in American Samoa. They are harmless to people. There are two species of flying foxes (fruit bat) and one insect-eating bat species here. The fruit bats, the Samoan flying fox and the white-collared flying fox, are as large as one pound, with a wingspan of 3 feet. They eat pollen and fruits and serve an essential role in the ecology of the native rainforest by pollinating plants and dispersing seeds.
Of the park's total area of 10,500 acres, about 8,000 acres are rainforest. Depending on elevation, this forest can be characterized as coastal, lowland, ridge, montane, or cloud forest. In addition to many species of trees, plants found here include vines, ferns, lichens, epiphytes (air plants) , and mosses.
Samoa's rainforest is closely related to that of Asia and Africa, as opposed to the neotropical (New World) rainforests of Central and South America. In mixed-species forest, no single tree or plant species dominates. The rainforests within park boundaries are largely intact, and extend uninterrupted from sea level up to cloud forests on mountain summits. This is the only rainforest of its kind protected within a US national park.
Subsistence farming is allowed on some park lands. Near villages that border on the rainforest there are small plantations where taro, coconut, banana, breadfruit, papaya, mango and other crops are grown for a family's consumption.
Amalau Valley
The Amalau Valley is a good place to watch above the trees for flying foxes.
Coral Reefs
The coral reefs off the coast of Ofu Island are among the healthiest in the South Pacific.
Flying Fox
The Samoan flying fox, a giant fruit bat, has a wingspan of about three feet and weighs almost one pound.
Matafao Peak
Matafao Peak is Tutuila Island's tallest mountain at 2,142 feet.
Mount 'Alava
Mount 'Alava rises up from the Amalau Valley to tower above the ocean at 1,610 feet.