Amalau Valley

Amalau is the name of a valley and a bay within the National Park of American Samoa. Amalau Valley is located between Vatia and Afono, and it is an isolated valley with various wildlife such as large numbers of native bird species and flying fox megabats. Amalau Valley is reached on the road leading to Vatia.[1][2] There are only a few homes at Amalau.

A significant site in the valley contains the remains of an old village. The Tu'ulaumea Tupua near Amalau Valley is an important legendary site.[3] In Amalau Cove, pillow lavas can be observed along the shoreline. The pillow lavas indicate extrusion under water. The beach at the head of Amalau Bay is a mixture of cobbles and basaltic boulders, also with big chunks of coral which have been rounded by the ocean waves.[4]

Amalau Valley has been described as a “prime bird- and bat-watching area."[5][6][7]

Wildlife
Samoa flying fox

Amalau Valley has been described as the best place in American Samoa to observe the Many-colored Fruit Dove. There are also large numbers of White-tailed Tropicbirds, White Terns, and Brown Noddies present. Amalau Valley is a particularly great site to observe fruit bats, especially the Samoa flying fox.[8]

The Samoan flying fox can easily be observed in the Amalau Valley during early morning or in the late afternoon. At some parts of the year, the bats remain visible throughout the day. A raised “Bat Observation Tower” platform has been proposed erected in the Amalau Valley in order to allow visitors to observe avifauna such as the flying foxes who frequent this area.[9]

References
  1. "The Tutuila Unit - National Park of American Samoa". www.nps.gov. National Park Service.
  2. "National Park of American Samoa | American Samoa Activities". Lonely Planet.
  3. U.S. Department of the Interior/National Park Service (1997). ”National Park of American Samoa, General Management Plan (GP), Islands of Tutulla, Ta'u, and Ofu: Environmental Impact Statement.” Pages 144-145.
  4. Harris, Ann G. and Esther Tuttle (2004). Geology of National Parks, Volume 2. Kendall Hunt. Page 609. ISBN 9780787299705.
  5. Stanley, David (2004). Moon Handbooks South Pacific. Moon Travel Guides. Page 483. ISBN 9781566914116.
  6. Stanley, David (1996). South Pacific Handbook. David Stanley. Page 417. ISBN 9781566910408.
  7. Stanley, David (1999). Moon Handbooks Tonga-Samoa. Moon Travel Guides. Page 180. ISBN 9781566911740.
  8. Watling, Dick and Dieter R. Rinke (2001). A Guide to the Birds of Fiji and Western Polynesia, Including American Samoa, Niue, Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu and Wallis & Futuna. Environmental Consultants. Page 246. ISBN 9789829047014.
  9. U.S. Department of the Interior/National Park Service (1997). ”National Park of American Samoa, General Management Plan (GP), Islands of Tutulla, Ta'u, and Ofu: Environmental Impact Statement.” Pages 158 and 214.

14°15′18″S 170°39′33″W

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