Okinawa's Sea - Shiraho
The waters off Shiraho in Ishigaki Island are home to one of the world's largest blue coral colonies. While the environment has been destroyed by human activity, this coral reef has remained in remarkably good condition, not only supporting a wide variety of marine life but also providing benefits to people.
Biological Introduction
Sazanami angelfish
Distribution: Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean. They are usually solitary fish. This fish is popular among divers due to its beautiful blue edging, but in Okinawa, adult specimens are eaten.
The goatfish (Ojisan) is found in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean. It gets its name from the two whiskers on its lower jaw. It uses these whiskers to find and prey on small animals hiding in the sand.
Parrotfish Distribution: Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean, excluding the Ryukyu Islands and Hawaiian Islands. Adults and juveniles have different patterns. They grow to about 80 cm in length. Males form schools consisting of 2-3 females.
Shiraho, the Miracle Coral Reef
Shiraho is located southeast of Ishigaki Island in Okinawa Prefecture. It is home to numerous corals, including the blue coral colonies that have made the name "Shiraho" known worldwide, as well as large, massive brain corals (microatolls) and common corals. The variety of corals found there is said to rival that of the Great Barrier Reef.
In 1972, a massive outbreak of crown-of-thorns starfish, a natural enemy of coral, occurred in the Yaeyama region of Okinawa, and by 1985, the damage had reached almost the entire area. The Shiraho coral reef is a precious area that was the only one unaffected by the outbreak. It also plays an important role as a fishing ground and has been closely intertwined with the lives of the local people.
【table of contents】
Facility Overview
Floor map and information
Free Wi-Fi and QR code translator information
performance
Coral reef sea
Sunshine Lagoon
Jellyfish Space
A hairtail fish looking up to the sky
The Amazon River
From Water to Land: The World of Amphibians
The sea of clownfish and sea anemones
Sea Lion Oasis Square
Otters at the Water's Edge
Fountain of Sparkle
Penguins on the grassland
Penguins in the Sky
Biological Introduction
Sazanami angelfish
Distribution: Indian Ocean to Pacific Ocean. They are usually solitary fish. This fish is popular among divers due to its beautiful blue edging, but in Okinawa, adult specimens are eaten.
The goatfish (Ojisan) is found in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean. It gets its name from the two whiskers on its lower jaw. It uses these whiskers to find and prey on small animals hiding in the sand.
Parrotfish Distribution: Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean, excluding the Ryukyu Islands and Hawaiian Islands. Adults and juveniles have different patterns. They grow to about 80 cm in length. Males form schools consisting of 2-3 females.
Shiraho, the Miracle Coral Reef
Shiraho is located southeast of Ishigaki Island in Okinawa Prefecture. It is home to numerous corals, including the blue coral colonies that have made the name "Shiraho" known worldwide, as well as large, massive brain corals (microatolls) and common corals. The variety of corals found there is said to rival that of the Great Barrier Reef.
In 1972, a massive outbreak of crown-of-thorns starfish, a natural enemy of coral, occurred in the Yaeyama region of Okinawa, and by 1985, the damage had reached almost the entire area. The Shiraho coral reef is a precious area that was the only one unaffected by the outbreak. It also plays an important role as a fishing ground and has been closely intertwined with the lives of the local people.
【table of contents】
Facility Overview
Floor map and information
Free Wi-Fi and QR code translator information
performance
Coral reef sea
Sunshine Lagoon
Jellyfish Space
A hairtail fish looking up to the sky
The Amazon River
From Water to Land: The World of Amphibians
The sea of clownfish and sea anemones
Sea Lion Oasis Square
Otters at the Water's Edge
Fountain of Sparkle
Penguins on the grassland
Penguins in the Sky