Rose Atoll National Wildlife Refuge

Directions: Rose Atoll is located 14 degrees south latitude or about 2,700 miles S of Hawaii. It is 78 miles ESE of Ta'u and about 150 miles ESE of Pago Pago Harbor. The refuge is managed cooperatively with the American Samoa Government.

Primary Wildlife: The buka trees provide crown nesting sites for red-footed boobies, great and lesser frigatebirds. Black noddies and white terns use the middle and lower branches for nesting. Reef herons and red-tailed tropic birds nest within the root systems. Sooty terns and brown noddies nest in barren coral rubble and gray-back terns nest on unvegetated Sand Island. The green sea turtle and endangered hawksbill turtle nest on both islands and over 500 species of fish live around the atoll.

Habitat: One of the smallest atolls in the world (about 20 acres of land and 1,600 acres of lagoon), Rose Island has only seven plant species growing on it.

Recreation and Education: Landing on the atoll is authorized only by permits issued by the refuge manager and the American Samoa Government.

c/o Hawaiian and Pacific Islands NWR Complex
300 Ala Moana Boulevard, Room 5302
P.O. Box 50167
Honolulu, HI 96850
(808) 541-1201