Yakushima contains one of the largest tracts of existing
Nansei Islands subtropical evergreen forests, an endangered
habitat ecoregion. The only large animals indigenous to the island are
Yakushima macaques and a variety of
sika deer.
Japanese weasels (
Mustela itatsi) may also be seen from time to time. The island is a spawning ground for migratory
loggerhead turtles, and
dolphins are to be found offshore. The coastal areas have
coral reefs in places, although to a much lesser extent than are found farther south in the islands of
Okinawa. Over 150 bird species live on Yakushima. Yakushima is known for its lush vegetation. Most of the island has at one time or another been logged (dating back at least to the early
Edo period), but it has been extensively replanted and reseeded since logging ended in the late 1960s, at which time a conservation regime was established. In addition to this secondary forest, there are some remaining areas of
primary forest, composed mainly of a variety of
Cryptomeria japonica, or Japanese cedar, called , the best-known single example of which is , as its age is estimated to date to at least the
Jōmon period of Japanese history, 2,300 years ago. In addition, the island lists over 50 varieties of endemic flowers, notably
rhododendrons, and hundreds of rare endemic
Bryophyta, as well as a number of endemic trees. ==Climate==