A New Patrol Boat and Other Resources In Store for Coco Island.

Costa Rica’s Isla del Coco, or Cocos Island, is located 340 miles (550 kilometers) off the country’s Pacific Coast, and is Puntarenas province’s 13th canton. The island is one of Costa Rica’s treasured national parks, and by far the least touristed and rural of the bunch. Dive trips to the island are legendary; the waters surrounding it are filled with Hammerhead sharks, stingrays, dolphins, and many other marine species. Now, the Minister of Environment and Energy (Minae) has promised to assume a more active roll in the protection of Cocos Island.

Costa Rica’s most famous island is of both volcanic and tectonic origin, and is approximately 2 million years old. About 235 flowering plants populate the island, in addition to 74 species of ferns, 128 species of mosses and liverworts, 90 fungi species, and 41 species of slime molds. In addition, 400 insect species, 90 bird species, several lizard species, pigs, deer, cats, and rats make the island their home. Ongoing scientific investigations continually turn up more plant and animal species, making Isla del Coco one of the most interesting, diverse Costa Rican spaces.

In addition to its land offerings. Cocos Island is home to an amazing array of marine life. A rich, colorful coral reef surrounds the island’s shores, and volcanic tunnels, caves, and massifs weave their way through underwater acres. Thirty species of coral dot the reef, and 60 crustacean species, 600 species of mollusks, and more than 300 fish species make their home in the deep, blue waters. Yellowfin tuna are a favorite of Cocos Island fishing trips, giant mantas whisper through the waters, sailfish and sharks show off their fins, and whales dance in the distance.

Isla del Coco is clearly a favorite spot for dedicated natural lovers, though the trip is tough. Very few people visit the island each year, and most are research scientists. Divers and anglers also make their pilgrimage, traveling almost 40 hours each way to reach the island’s promising waters. Tours are expensive, and not for the faint of heart, but those who make the trip are forever marked by Isla del Coco’s unique ecology and incredible beauty.

Such an idyllic setting should never be threatened, but illegal fishing has done just that. Minae and MarViva, an environmental organization, have teamed up in the fight to protect Cocos Island. the Friends of Cocos Island Foundation has also jumped into the mix, and all three organizations plan to provide financial support to the Coco’s Patrol, the only Minae boat to routinely patrol and protect the island.

In addition to Coco’s Patrol, another patrol boat, the Juan Santamaría, will also be sent into action. According to an official letter, interested parties are also “developing a project of extraordinary budget to include an item meant for park boat maintenance and operations.” These combined projects, though pricey, are designed to protect the Island, and preserve this important piece of Costa Rica Land and national heritage for future generations. For most, that makes all efforts more than worth it.

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Filed under: Costa Rican Wildlife on August 7th, 2008