American Samoa - National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa

TALOFA!

Sent by Lika from National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa in Pago Pago, American Samoa.

The National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa (formerly the Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary) is a federally-designated underwater area protected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Office of National Marine Sanctuaries. This sanctuary is the largest and most remote in the National Marine Sanctuary system. Spanning 13,581 sq mi, it is thought to be home to the greatest biodiversity of aquatic species of all the marine sanctuaries. Among them are expansive coral reefs, including some of the oldest Porites coral heads on earth, deep-water reefs, hydrothermal vent communities, and rare archeological resources. It was established as Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary on April 29, 1986, it is thought to be home to the greatest biodiversity of aquatic species of all the marine sanctuaries.and then expanded and renamed in 2012 (read more).

American Samoa - National Park of American Samoa

National Park of American Samoa
Pola Island, in the National Park of American Samoa, is on the north coast of Tutuila Island and is an important nesting area for sea birds, such as the booby.

Sent by Samuel, a Park Ranger in the National Park of American Samoa.

This is from Wikipedia : The National Park of American Samoa is a national park on the American territory of American Samoa, distributed across three separate islands: Tutuila, Ofu-Olosega, and Ta‘ū. The park includes coral reefs and rain forest and is popular for hiking, snorkeling, and scuba diving, although the primary purpose of the park is that of preservation of Samoa's unique natural resources. Of the park's 10,500 acres (4,200 ha), 7,970 acres (3,230 ha) is land and 2,550 acres (1,030 ha) is water. It is the only American national park south of the equator (read further).