A comprehensive strategy for wildlife conservation in American Samoa

Abstract

The wildlife resources of American Samoa are distributed among five volcanic islands (Aunu'u, Ofu, Olosega, Ta'u, and Tutuila) and two atolls (Swains and Rose). Land birds and fruit bats are the most conspicuous components of the native fauna and have been the focus of DMWR's wildlife investigations under the Wildlife Restoration Program. The State Wildlife Program provides DMWR with the opportunity to broaden the taxonomic coverage of its wildlife program to include those species that, for reasons of lack of funding, have been largely excluded in previous research and monitoring programs. Most of the taxonomic groups (vertebrates and invertebrates) are relatively depauperate with few to no species unique to American Samoa, with the exception of the gastropods. Land snails, in particular, are represented by numerous species, a high proportion of which are endemic to the Samoan archipelago.