Shiretoko Peninsula
Encyclopedia
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
of Hokkaidō
Hokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
, protruding into the Sea of Okhotsk
Sea of Okhotsk
The Sea of Okhotsk is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, lying between the Kamchatka Peninsula on the east, the Kuril Islands on the southeast, the island of Hokkaidō to the far south, the island of Sakhalin along the west, and a long stretch of eastern Siberian coast along the west and...
. It is separated from the Kunashir Island
Kunashir Island
Kunashir Island , possibly meaning Black Island or Grass Island in Ainu, is the southernmost island of the Kuril Islands, which are controlled by Russia and claimed by Japan ....
of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
by the Nemuro Strait
Nemuro Strait
Nemuro Strait, also called Notsuke Strait and Kunashirsky Strait , is a strait, located at , separating Kunashir Island of the Kuril Islands, Russia from the Shiretoko Peninsula, Hokkaidō, Japan.- External links :*...
. The name Shiretoko is derived from the Ainu language
Ainu language
Ainu is one of the Ainu languages, spoken by members of the Ainu ethnic group on the northern Japanese island of Hokkaidō....
word sir etok, meaning the end of the Earth or the place where the Earth protrudes. The towns of Rausu
Rausu, Hokkaido
is a town located in Menashi District, Nemuro Subprefecture, Hokkaidō. As of March 31, 2008 it has an estimated population of 6,202 and an area of 397.88 km²....
and Shari
Shari, Hokkaido
is a town located in Shari District, Okhotsk Subprefecture, Hokkaido, Japan.As of 2008, the town has an estimated population of 13,036 and a population density of 18.36 persons per km². The total area is 736.97 km².-External links:...
cover the peninsula.
On July 14, 2005, in a meeting held in the Republic of South Africa, the Shiretoko Peninsula was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
, and on July 17 was officially registered as such. The reason is that in the Northern Hemisphere
Northern Hemisphere
The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
, the peninsula is the southern most point where sea ice
Sea ice
Sea ice is largely formed from seawater that freezes. Because the oceans consist of saltwater, this occurs below the freezing point of pure water, at about -1.8 °C ....
usually forms.
Geography
From Shiretoko Cape at the tip of the peninsula, a series of volcanoes run down the peninsula, including Mount ShiretokoMount Shiretoko
is a volcano located on the Shiretoko Peninsula in Hokkaidō, Japan. The mountain consists of non-alkali mafic rocks, andesite. Mount Shiretoko is in Shari town, in Shari District of Abashiri Subprefecture....
, Mount Unabetsu
Mount Unabetsu
is a quaternary stratovolcano. Its summit is . It is located on Hokkaido's Shiretoko Peninsula on the border of Shari in Shari District, Abashiri and Shibetsu in Shibetsu District, Nemuro....
, and Mount Iō. It is part of the Chishima volcanic zone. The highest peak is Mount Rausu
Mount Rausu
is a stratovolcano on the Shiretoko Peninsula on Hokkaidō, Japan. It sits on the border between the towns of Shari and Rausu. Mount Rausu is the northeastern most Holocene volcano on Hokkaidō. It is one of the 100 famous mountains in Japan....
. The peninsula is 70 kilometres (43.5 mi) long and 25 kilometres (15.5 mi) wide at its base. It covers some 123000 hectares (474.9 sq mi)
The peninsula is bounded on the Northwest side by the Sea of Okhotsk
Sea of Okhotsk
The Sea of Okhotsk is a marginal sea of the western Pacific Ocean, lying between the Kamchatka Peninsula on the east, the Kuril Islands on the southeast, the island of Hokkaidō to the far south, the island of Sakhalin along the west, and a long stretch of eastern Siberian coast along the west and...
and the Southeast side by the Pacific Ocean. To the east, Kunashir Island
Kunashir Island
Kunashir Island , possibly meaning Black Island or Grass Island in Ainu, is the southernmost island of the Kuril Islands, which are controlled by Russia and claimed by Japan ....
runs parallel to the peninsula. The Kunashir can be seen from Shiretoko Peninsula. Kunashir is part of Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, but disputed by Japan.
The cold Oyashio Current
Oyashio Current
, also known as Oya Siwo, Okhotsk or the Kurile current, is a cold subarctic ocean current that flows south and circulates counterclockwise in the western North Pacific Ocean. It collides with the Kuroshio Current off the eastern shore of Japan to form the North Pacific Current...
flows south along the peninsula.
The volcanic zone has made several onsen
Onsen
An is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth...
possible, including Seseki Onsen and Iwaobetsu Onsen.
List of peaks
- Uii Nupuri
- Mount Poromoi
- Mount ShiretokoMount Shiretokois a volcano located on the Shiretoko Peninsula in Hokkaidō, Japan. The mountain consists of non-alkali mafic rocks, andesite. Mount Shiretoko is in Shari town, in Shari District of Abashiri Subprefecture....
- Mount Dokkarimui
- Mount Rusha
- Mount Higashi
- Mount Chienbetsu
- Mount Minami
- Mount Iō
- Mount Okkabake
- Mount Sashirui
- Mount RausuMount Rausuis a stratovolcano on the Shiretoko Peninsula on Hokkaidō, Japan. It sits on the border between the towns of Shari and Rausu. Mount Rausu is the northeastern most Holocene volcano on Hokkaidō. It is one of the 100 famous mountains in Japan....
- Mount Chinnishibetsu
- Mount OnnebetsuMount Onnebetsuis a quaternary stratovolcano. Its summit is . It is located on Hokkaido's Shiretoko Peninsula on the border of Shari in Shari District, Abashiri and Rausu in Menashi District, Nemuro....
- Mount UnabetsuMount Unabetsuis a quaternary stratovolcano. Its summit is . It is located on Hokkaido's Shiretoko Peninsula on the border of Shari in Shari District, Abashiri and Shibetsu in Shibetsu District, Nemuro....
- Mount ShariMount Shariis a quaternary stratovolcano and one of Japan's 100 famous mountains. Its summit is . The summit consists of Mount Shari, and the western ridge. It is located on the Hokkaidō's Shiretoko Peninsula on the border of Shari and Kiyosato in Shari District, Abashiri and Shibetsu in Shibetsu District,...
- Mount Samakke Nupuri
- Mount Shibetsu
Climate
The Oyashio Current has a profound impact on the weather of the peninsula. Shiretoko Peninsula has short summers and long winters. The current causes fog on the southeastern coast and sea iceSea ice
Sea ice is largely formed from seawater that freezes. Because the oceans consist of saltwater, this occurs below the freezing point of pure water, at about -1.8 °C ....
in the winter. Snow covers the peaks from September to June, except the very highest peaks, which retain snow all summer long.
Flora and fauna
The Shiretoko Peninsula is home to many species of both conifers and broadleaf trees, including the acornAcorn
The acorn, or oak nut, is the nut of the oaks and their close relatives . It usually contains a single seed , enclosed in a tough, leathery shell, and borne in a cup-shaped cupule. Acorns vary from 1–6 cm long and 0.8–4 cm broad...
-bearing . Above 1000 metres (3,280.8 ft) grows Siberian Dwarf Pine
Siberian Dwarf Pine
Pinus pumila is a native to northeastern Asia, including the islands of Japan. This shrubby pine ranges from 1–3 m in height, exceptionally up to 5 m, but may have individual branches that extend farther along the ground in length...
. Red Fox
Red Fox
The red fox is the largest of the true foxes, as well as being the most geographically spread member of the Carnivora, being distributed across the entire northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to North Africa, Central America, and the steppes of Asia...
es and Sika Deer
Sika Deer
The Sika Deer, Cervus nippon, also known as the Spotted Deer or the Japanese Deer, is a species of deer native to much of East Asia and introduced to various other parts of the world...
also inhabit the area. There are also a large number of Ussuri Brown Bear
Ussuri Brown Bear
The Ussuri brown bear , also known as the black grizzly is a subspecies of the brown bear found in the Ussuri krai, Sakhalin, the Amur Oblast, northward to the Shantar Islands, Iturup Island, northeastern China, the Korean peninsula, Hokkaidō and Kunashiri Island. This subspecies is thought to be...
s. In the upper reaches of Mount Rausu, Mount Onnebetsu, and Mount Shari are the only known breeding areas of Arctic Warbler
Arctic Warbler
The Arctic Warbler, Phylloscopus borealis, is a widespread leaf warbler in birch or mixed birch forest near water throughout its breeding range in Fennoscandia and northern Asia. It has established a foothold in North America, breeding in Alaska. This warbler is strongly migratory; the entire...
s in Hokkaidō. Sea eagle
Sea Eagle
Sea eagle mainly refers to Sea eagle, birds of prey of the genus Haliaeetus.It may also refer to:-Aerospace:* Sea Eagle , British, anti-ship missile* Sea Eagle * Supermarine Sea Eagle, 1920s British passenger flying boat-Sports:...
s flourish here, and seal
Pinniped
Pinnipeds or fin-footed mammals are a widely distributed and diverse group of semiaquatic marine mammals comprising the families Odobenidae , Otariidae , and Phocidae .-Overview: Pinnipeds are typically sleek-bodied and barrel-shaped...
s can be often seen on the coast.
Whale watching
Whale watching
Whale watching is the practice of observing whales and other cetaceans in their natural habitat. Whales are watched most commonly for recreation but the activity can also serve scientific or educational purposes. A 2009 study, prepared for IFAW, estimated that 13 million people went whale watching...
is a popular attraction in the local tourism. Thirteen or fourteen species of cetaceans species have been recorded in the area.
Especially for Orca, Killer Whales, the waters surrounding the peninsula are regarded as one of the most significant habitat areas in the northwestern Pacific. There was a notable mass stranding of 12 animals in February 2005. Nine animals died.
Shiretoko Peninsula is one of the few places where groups of male Sperm Whale
Sperm Whale
The sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus, is a marine mammal species, order Cetacea, a toothed whale having the largest brain of any animal. The name comes from the milky-white waxy substance, spermaceti, found in the animal's head. The sperm whale is the only living member of genus Physeter...
s and Baird's Beaked Whales can be spotted from the shore. Other frequently seen species include Minke Whale
Minke Whale
Minke whale , or lesser rorqual, is a name given to two species of marine mammal belonging to a clade within the suborder of baleen whales. The minke whale was given its official designation by Lacepède in 1804, who described a dwarf form of Balænoptera acuto-rostrata...
s, Pacific White-sided Dolphin
Pacific White-sided Dolphin
The Pacific White-sided Dolphin is a very active dolphin found in the cool to temperate waters of the North Pacific Ocean.-Taxonomy:...
s, Dall's Porpoise
Dall's Porpoise
Dall's porpoise is a species of porpoise found on the North Pacific. It came to worldwide attention in the 1970s when it was disclosed for the first time to the public that salmon fishing trawls were killing a lot, thousands of Dall's porpoises and other cetaceans each year by accidentally...
s and Harbour Porpoise
Harbour Porpoise
The harbour porpoise is one of six species of porpoise. It is one of the smallest marine mammals. As its name implies, it stays close to coastal areas or river estuaries, and as such, is the most familiar porpoise to whale watchers. This porpoise often ventures up rivers, and has been seen...
s.
Humpback Whale
Humpback Whale
The humpback whale is a species of baleen whale. One of the larger rorqual species, adults range in length from and weigh approximately . The humpback has a distinctive body shape, with unusually long pectoral fins and a knobbly head. It is an acrobatic animal, often breaching and slapping the...
s, Fin Whale
Fin Whale
The fin whale , also called the finback whale, razorback, or common rorqual, is a marine mammal belonging to the suborder of baleen whales. It is the second longest whale and the sixth largest living animal after the blue whale, bowhead whale, and right whales, growing to nearly 27 metres long...
s, North Pacific Right Whale
North Pacific Right Whale
The North Pacific right whale is a very large, robust baleen whale species that is now extremely rare and endangered. The Northeast Pacific subpopulation, that summers in the southeastern Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska, may have no more than 50 animals...
s, Blue Whale
Blue Whale
The blue whale is a marine mammal belonging to the suborder of baleen whales . At in length and or more in weight, it is the largest known animal to have ever existed....
s, White Whales, Cuvier's Beaked Whale
Cuvier's Beaked Whale
Cuvier's beaked whale is the most widely distributed of all the beaked whales. It is the only member of the genus Ziphius. Another common name for the species is goose-beaked whale because its head is said to be shaped like the beak of a goose. Georges Cuvier first described it in 1823 from part...
s, Stejneger's beaked whale
Stejneger's Beaked Whale
Stejneger's beaked whale , sometimes known as the Bering Sea beaked whale or the Saber-toothed whale, is a poorly-known member of the genus Mesoplodon inhabiting the northern North Pacific Ocean. Leonhard Hess Stejneger initially described the species in 1885 from a skull, and nothing more of the...
s, Short-Finned Pilot Whale
Short-finned Pilot Whale
The Short-finned Pilot Whale is one of the two species of cetacean in the genus Globicephala. It is part of the oceanic dolphin family , though its behaviour is closer to that of the larger whales....
s can also be observed.
Conservation efforts
To protect the wild animals and pristine natural beauty of the Shiretoko Peninsula, in 1964 a great portion of the peninsula was designated Shiretoko National ParkShiretoko National Park
covers most of the Shiretoko Peninsula at the northeastern tip of the island of Hokkaidō, Japan.The word "Shiretoko" is derived form an Ainu word "sir etok", meaning "end of the Earth"....
. Since then, the park has been subject to strict regulation as a nature preserve, and entering is prohibited.