Mariana Arc of Fire
Garapan, Saipan, MP 96950
Plan Your Visit
The remote location and isolation of the Mariana Arc of Fire National Wildlife Refuge make it inaccessible to conduct on-site visits for educational or interpretative purposes. Thus, most educational and interpretative opportunities are necessarily delivered remotely through publications, off-site educational programs, displays, or other media, to inform and educate the public regarding the coral reef ecosystem and related marine resources and species of the monument and efforts to conserve them.
For a virtual experience visiting the depths of the monument here’s a way to see what the Okeanos captured exploring the Mariana Trench.
Get Involved
The remote location and isolation of the Mariana Arc of Fire National Wildlife Refuge make it inaccessible to conduct on-site visits for educational or interpretative purposes. Thus, most educational and interpretative opportunities are necessarily delivered remotely through publications, off-site educational programs, displays, or other media.
Services
About
The Mariana Arc of Fire National Wildlife Refuge consists of 18 undersea mud volcanoes and thermal vents within a geologically complex region. It features unique phenomena such as the Champagne vent, which produces liquid carbon dioxide, and the Sulfur Cauldron, the only known pool of liquid sulfur outside of Jupiter's moon Io. These environments support unusual life forms, including barophilic bacteria and the "vent crab," which thrive in extreme, highly acidic conditions. The refuge is managed as part of the Mariana Islands Refuges and Monuments Complex, headquartered in Saipan.