Cocos Island National Park, World Heritage Site in Costa Rica

Cocos Island is an isolated island 550 km off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. A tropical rainforest surrounds the island, which is famous for its diverse marine life. It is a treasure trove of large migratory fish such as tuna and cartilaginous fish represented by hammerhead sharks, and is a favorite destination for divers from around the world.

Here, a World Heritage enthusiast explains why Cocos Island National Park is a World Heritage Site in an easy-to-understand manner. Read this and you will definitely learn more about Cocos Island National Park!

What is Cocos Island National Park?

Cocos Island is an isolated island in the middle of the ocean, about 550 km from the Costa Rican mainland.The island covers an area of 46.6 square kilometers, has an annual rainfall of 7,000 mm, and is almost completely covered by tropical rainforests.It is surrounded by coral reefs and is visited by many large migratory fish.Because of its remoteness from the mainland, a very diverse ecosystem can be seen. Therefore, there are many endemic species, so much so that there are endemic species of birds, freshwater fish, and reptiles.

The island was formed by a volcanic uplift and is a confluence of various ocean currents, making it an area that attracts marine life from various parts of the Pacific Ocean, including large migratory fish such as tuna.It is also famous for its abundance of cartilaginous fish, such as hammerhead sharks.

Hammerhead shark

Sharks belonging to the family Sphyrnidae are found in tropical and temperate coastal waters. They are called hammerhead sharks because their heads look like hammers. This hammer-like head is used to attack the enemy by swinging it down on them instead of striking them.

For what reason is Cocos Island National Park on a World Heritage Site?

Cocos Island National Park was recognized for

Registration Criteria (ix)
The point that the island, surrounded by tropical rainforest, is a confluence of various ocean currents, attracting marine life from all over the Pacific, and many species breed here in the surrounding area.

Registration Criteria (x)
On land, this means that there are many endemic animals, and in the surrounding waters there is a lot of marine life, including endangered species such as hammerhead sharks.

Conclusions and Impressions of a World Heritage Maniac

Being an isolated island in the Pacific Ocean, the structure of the island is highly valued because of the collision of ocean currents that come from various places here and the many living creatures that live here. This is also the reason why many precious marine creatures, such as hammerhead sharks, can be seen here.

Incidentally, although I wrote that it is an isolated island in the sea, the park manager now lives there. And there is a legend that treasures hidden by pirates still lie there, so I guess you could say that it is now “an island where people come relatively regularly” since tracer hunters gather from all over the world.

*The contents here are considerations derived through research by World Heritage enthusiasts. Please note that the interpretation of the data differs depending on the medium.