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40 years of Isla Del Coco

Isla del Coco National Park located about as far away as an island can get from Costa Rica in the Pacific. This stunning piece of beauty is celebrating 40 years of amazing achievements including the ecological blue flag for beaches, a Unesco world heritage site, a Ramsar important wetland, and more.

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Protecting Isla Del Coco

Isla del Coco side view. Being so far away from Costa Rica serves as more than just a little problem though. The island is just as close to Panama, Nicaragua, Columbia, and Ecuador. This provides a little bit of controversy as to who actually should be controlling the island. Costa Rica has put a lot of time and energy into how they control and take care of the island. Taking care of Coco island is no joke being 500 kilometers from the coast provides a challenge that only a few can do.

The island is certainly amazing and more than worth the effort of taking care of. With the large amounts of sharks and fish that swim these waters, this can attract the unwanted attention of Illegal fisherman. To counteract these fishermen a protective barrier of 24 four square kilometers is enforced on the island. This is all with the help of brave park rangers keeping needed surveillance. Fishing in Costa Rica is allowed but of course in the proper way

Illegal fishing isn’t the only problem that the Coco island faces we also have the worldwide problem of pollution in the waters. It is a shame to see unwanted garbage and plastics floating up onto the shores, even things like straws getting stuck in sea turtles nostrils and fish being trapped in plastic bags. A major way you can help out is by refusing to use plastic straws opting for a metal or bamboo version, recycling your waste, and choosing materials that are properly disposable.

Species of the Island

Manta Rays of Isla del cocoThis all contributes to the well being of the many marine species living around Isla del Coco. This includes wildlife like 14 species of sharks, Manta Rays, Sea turtles, Dolphins, and a stunning amount of fish over 300 different types. On the island, you will find even more species, with 235 known species of flowering plant life, 400 known species of insects, and 90 different bird species. You will also find a few different land mammals including lizards, pigs, deer, goats, and cats. This amazing amount of wildlife makes Coco popular for Diving.

Having everyone put in a little effort can go a long way. This will help preserve the island for future generations of us and animal species. The island is very popular for scuba diving. If you are an avid scuba diver contact us about some amazing tours you surely won’t forget. Please contact here info@villascostarica.com for more information about the island and how you can visit or support its well being.

You may also be interested in finding a place to stay while visiting Costa Rica, we have some absolutely beautiful villas and discounts all over the country.