but these tours are not permitted to land on the island. Researchers normally travel to the island by chartered government helicopter. Tori-shima, along with the other Izu Islands, is officially part of Tokyo Metropolis, and also falls within the borders of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. Flora and fauna Repeated volcanic eruptions in 1939 and 2002 have set the flora on Tori-shima back to initial stages in the ecological succession. Plants such as Vitex rotundifolia and hydrangea are found near the shoreline, and Chrysanthemum pacificum and Japanese black pine in sheltered areas inland, but most of the central portion of the island remains as volcanic ash and rock. The island is home to several tens of thousands of breeding pairs of Tristram's storm petrel and other birds such as Japanese murrelet, black-footed albatross, common kestrel, and blue rock thrush, but the short-tailed albatross population has been very slow to recover, with recovery hampered by the presence of large numbers of black rats, the only remaining mammal on the island. Humpback whales and dolphins often appear around the island during migration and breeding seasons. Tori-shima is the primary and one of only two remaining breeding sites for the short-tailed albatross. The island has been recognised as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International. See also List of volcanoes in Japan List of islands of Japan List of islands Desert island Notes References Teikoku's Complete Atlas of Japan, Teikoku-Shoin Co., Ltd. Tokyo 1990, External links Short Tailed Albatross Tori-shima from the north Map of Torishima by Japan Meteorological Agency Yamashina Research Institute page on Torishima with photos Tori-shima Location and description of island and volcano. Tori-shima Enlargement of the excellent aerial photo of the island from the south in the previous link. Izu-torishima Photos during and after 2002 eruption. Izu Islands Uninhabited islands of Japan Active volcanoes Former populated places in Japan 20th-century volcanic events 1902 natural disasters 1902 in Japan Volcanic eruptions in Japan Islands of Tokyo Important Bird Areas of the Nanpo Islands Seabird colonies