Kushiro-shitsugen National Park

Kushiro Shitsugen National Park 釧路湿原国立公園
IUCN category II (national park)
Location	Hokkaidō, Japan
Area	266.81 km²
Established	July 31, 1987

Kushiro Shitsugen National Park (阿寒国立公園, Kushiro Shitsugen Kokuritsu Kōen) is a national park located in the eastern part of the island of Hokkaidō, Japan. It has been designated to the status of national park on 31st July 1987 and is number 28 among Japan's national parks. Kushiro Shitsugen covers an area of 26861 ha (larger than the area of Tokyo) and contains the largest tracts of reedbeds in Japan. During the Ramsar Convention 1980 in which Japan participated, it was first registered as a peatland with raised bogs. In 1967 the wetlands themselves had been designated as national natural monument. For that reason access is strictly limited and the most typical scenery in Hokkaidō has been preserved.

Reed, sedges, peat moss wetlands, black alder thickets, rivers that bend freely back and forth, groups of lakes and marshes and the like comprise a varied environment. It is considered to be a valuable treasure house for wild species such as the Red-crowned Crane, Ito (Hucho perryi), Siberian Salamander (Salamandrella keyserlingii) and dragonfly (Leucorrhinia intermedia ijimai) among others.

Related cities, towns and villages

• Kushiro Subprefecture
  • Kushiro, Hokkaidō
  • Kushiro, Hokkaido (town)
  • Shibecha, Hokkaido
  • Tsurui, Hokkaido

External links

• J-IBIS
• Nature Restoration Project
• Ramsar]
• Kushiro Shitsugen National Park (in Japanese)