UNESCO - Northern part of Okinawa Island - 沖縄島北部 Postcard

UNESCO WHS Serie - Title: Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, Northern part of Okinawa, and Iriomote Island - 奄美大島、徳之島、沖縄島北部及び西表島 Subtitle: Yanbaru (Northern part of Okinawa Island) - 山原 (沖縄島北部) Description: Encompassing 42,698 hectares of subtropical rainforests on four islands on a chain located in the southwest of Japan, the serial site forms an arc on the boundary of the East China Sea and Philippine Sea whose highest point, Mount Yuwandake on Amami-Oshima Island, rises 694 metres above sea level. Entirely uninhabited by humans, the site has high biodiversity value with a very high percentage of endemic species, many of them globally threatened. The site is home to endemic plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, inland water fish and decapod crustaceans, including, for example, the endangered Amami Rabbit (Pentalagus furnessi) and the endangered Ryukyu Long-haired Rat (Diplothrix legata) that represent ancient lineages and have no living relatives anywhere in the world. Five mammal species, three bird species, and three amphibian species in the property have been identified globally as Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) species. There are also a number of different endemic species confined to each respective island that are not found elsewhere in the property. Yanbaru (山原) is the Okinawan name given to the forested northern part of Okinawa Island. Yanbaru contains some of the last large surviving tracts of subtropical rainforest in Asia, with many endemic species of flora and fauna. UNESCO Information: Name: Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, Northern part of Okinawa, and Iriomote Island - 奄美大島、徳之島、沖縄島北部及び西表島 Site: Northern part of Okinawa Island - 沖縄島北部 Country: Japan Location: Ryukyu Islands, Okinawa Prefecture, Kyūshū Region Inscription: 2021 Category: Natural (x) Unesco Ref: 1574-004 Special Feature: The card has a QR-Code on the backside to navigate for more Informationas about the side.