The Ancient Flora and Fauna of Amami Ōshima and Tokunoshima

Subtropical forest spreads across the foothills of Mount Yuwandake. At 694 meters, it is Amami Ōshima’s tallest peak.

Dense, primeval forest like this covers large swaths of Amami Ōshima.

Habu are at the top of the food chain. Here one devours a nonvenomous Ryūkyū green snake.

A Lidth’s jay feeds its young. Registered a national natural monument, the bird is found only on Amami Ōshima and the islands of Kakeromajima and Ukejima, also in the Amami archipelago.

An Amami rabbit mother and kitten outside their nest.

An Amami rabbit kitten prepares to leave its nest.

Early morning mist fills the valleys on Amami Ōshima.

A pair of Amami spiny rats battle on the forest floor. The species, a national natural monument, has drawn the attention of researchers as males lack a Y chromosome.

Mangroves spread along a waterway on Amami Ōshima. The island has the second largest mangrove forest in Japan, after Iriomotejima.

Mangroves growing along a tidal flat. The forests support an array of plants and animals.

A Ryūkyū long-haired rat makes a rare appearance. Designated as a national natural monument, the species, the largest rodent in Japan, is extremely difficult to spot in the wild. Subsequently, much about it remains a mystery.

Sago palms along the coast show off their new foliage, a familiar scene from May to June.

The white-backed woodpecker rears its young in nests hollowed out of trees. A type of woodpecker, it is designated a national natural monument.

Kurukichi Falls, one of many cascades on the sheer cliffs along Amami Ōshima’s eastern shore. At 181 meters, it was designated the largest waterfall in Kyūshū in 2021.

Forest streams like this one are vital to island wildlife.

A long-eared owl. The forest-dwelling species is known to winter on Amami Ōshima, but its nocturnal behavior keeps it mostly out of sight of human inhabitants of the island.

A stand of flying spider-monkey tree ferns. During the rainy season, these remnants of the Jurassic period drink up the abundant rainfall, pumping it into the canopy to spread their broad fronds.

An Amami thrush and its young. A national natural monument, the bird was driven nearly to extinction due to the loss of its habit from logging. The population is gradually recovering as reforestation efforts continue.

Tokunoshima’s rocky Mushirose coast. The name derives from the area’s numerous large stone slabs, which are said to resemble woven mats called mushiro laid out on the ground.

A Sedirea japonica blooms in the forest. Although the species of orchid is named for Nago in Okinawa, where it was first identified, it also thrives on Amami Ōshima and Tokunoshima.

An Amami woodcock puts on a threat display.

Snow falls on flying spider-monkey tree ferns at the top of Mount Yuwandake in January 2021. Such weather events are rare in the subtropics.

A banded ground gecko. Endemic to Tokunoshima, the lizard is characterized by its brilliant pink and white stripes.

Looking south from Amami Ōshima toward Kakeromajima, Ukejima, Yorojima, and other islands in the Amami archipelago.