Contemporary Guam Era
Badlands in Southern Guam
What is a badland? Badlands are areas of land that cannot support plant growth due to severe erosion. They are barren patches of land that
Land (Tano)
Land Snails (Akaleha’) of the Mariana Islands
Pacific Islands, including the Mariana Islands, often have many small native snails. Many of the species in the Marianas are unique to the archipelago, or
Land (Tano)
Guam Trees: Ifit
Scientific name: Intsia bijuga. Ifit is the official territorial tree of Guam and is culturally important throughout the Mariana Islands. Ifit, also called ifil or
Land (Tano)
Arachnids of Guam
There are 11 classes (i.e., major groups) of living arachnids in the world. Of these, only six are likely to be encountered on Guam: the
Ancient Guam Era
Ancient Guam’s Environment
In addition to analyzing artifacts, archeologists often study ancient environments to understand how prehistoric societies both shaped, and were shaped by, their natural surroundings. For
Guam's Birds
Guam Birds Audio Files
Listen to Guam birds like the Åga (Mariana Crow) and the Yǻyaguak (Mariana Gray Swiftlet).
Chamorro Culture
Hilitai: Monitor Lizard
The hilitai or monitor lizard (Varanus tsukamotoi) was introduced to the island before European contact in the 1500’s. It is black or dark green with
Civic Society
William Safford
William Edwin Safford (1859 – 1926), raised in Ohio, served as a lieutenant in the US Navy during the Spanish-American War. Guam became a possession
Contemporary Guam Era
Brown Treesnake
The brown treesnake was accidentally introduced most likely by the US military to Guam in the late 1940s or early 1950s. The brown treesnake (Boiga
Guam's Birds
Yellow Bittern
Yellow bittern live in a variety of habitats including savanna, forest, offshore islands, tangantangan, weedy tall grass and mowed fields. They feed on snails, geckos,