News

Protection of endangered ecosystems: the Shiretoko Peninsula – the 16th site supported by Jaeger-LeCoultre.

Shiretoko is situated in the northeast of Hokkaido, the northernmost island in Japan, with a total surface area of 56,100 ha. The peninsula has been inscribed in the World Heritage List by UNESCO. The Shiretoko Peninsula was formed by volcanic activity and the Pacific plate sinking beneath the North American plate. It boasts many volcanoes, the highest being Mt Rausu (1,661 m). Shiretoko’s main feature is the productivity of its marine and terrestrial ecosystems, influenced by the formation of seasonal marine ice. The waters of the Shiretoko Peninsula are considered to be of global significance for the species of salmonidae, for which they serve as a vital migration channel. The site is also of particular importance for a number of sea and cetaceous mammals. With regard to the terrestrial ecosystem, the majority of the vegetation is in a natural or semi-natural state, featuring several types of virgin vegetation from the coast to the mountain summits at 1600 m altitude. The bird fauna is very diverse, with 264 bird species, including 9 featured in the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species. Jaeger-LeCoultre invites you to view the photo reports and videos on the Shiretoko Peninsula from 18th January on the websites of The New York Times and International Herald Tribune. At any time you can learn about the marine sites supported under the Tides of Time partnership, and reread the IHT articles by clicking here. Listen to the interviews with Jérôme Lambert, CEO of Jaeger-LeCoultre, and watch these videos on jaegerlecoultreclub, Jaeger-LeCoultre’s Official You Tube channel. Through its global “Making Time More Beautiful” project, Jaeger-LeCoultre is committed to supporting various local and international causes linked to sustainable development. With this in mind, Jaeger-LeCoultre has entered into a three-year partnership with the UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre and with the International Herald Tribune in order to provide support for various endangered sites. The first year of the partnership has seen the implementation of some ambitious projects: eight sites have already been supported and public awareness has been heightened with regard to the threats facing these regions. This first year also witnessed the birth of the Master Compressor Extreme W-Alarm "Tides of Time" watch, of which the “Number 1” prototype was auctioned for the sum of £13,540. All proceeds from this sale were donated to the Tubbataha Marine Park, which has been inscribed on the World Heritage List since 1993. This donation will serve to renew the site’s radar system, monitoring the comings and goings of ships in the park’s waters. This second year is already proving to be no less informative with the addition of eight new sites. In addition to Shiretoko, they are: - Sian Ka’an (Mexico) - Everglades National Park (United States) - Aldabra Atoll (Seychelles) - Venice (Italy) - The Wadden Sea (The Netherlands /Germany) - The Sundarbans (India) - Valdes Peninsula (Argentina)