With just 52.000 square kilometers, Costa Rica has turned itself in one of the biggest eco-tourism attractions of the occidental hemisphere. The bio-diversity that is offered to visitors and Scientifics, with several unique species of flora and fauna, turns this small Central American country to the focus of attention to those who like to be in contact with Mother Nature.
However, the Costa Rican jewelry that has captivated the international eye is the Isla del Coco (The Coco Island), posted to be declared as one of the Seven Marvels of the World. There are several legends around the treasures hidden by pirates, that in some way have been recorded on the remaining carvings of rocks written by visitors that have been there looking for that supposed fortune.
But the real treasure of this insular territory is other than that, and is in front of the eyes. Due to its size, 24 square kilometers, its relatively deserted state of conservation, the Isla del Coco is one of the natural privileged sites around the world. It count with an important endemism and a singular biological diversity, that places it into a category of a natural lab, ideal for researching of the evolution of species and the monitor of the environment for a long term.
The results of these investigations could show important information about the dynamic of the eco-systems of our planet and its relation with the global changes of the marine and terrestrial environment. That is why this island is so important for mankind.
As a result, after the island was established a National Park by the Costa Rican Government in 1978, the United Nations declared it as Patrimonio Nacional de la Humanidad (Mankind Natural Patrimony) in 1997, and in 1978 got the title of Humedal de Importancia Internacional (Sitio RAMSAR).
Diversity
From 235 species of identified plants, 70 years endemic. From 362 kinds of insects, 64 are unique. There is an endemic type of lizard and another one of salamanders, 3 of spiders, 85 of birds (4 of them are endemics) 57 of crustaceous, 118 of mollusks, more than 200 types of fish and 18 corals. Besides, more than 200 years ago, 6 kinds of reptiles were located (3 endemics and 3 marine turtles).
Hammerhead Shark in Isla del Coco
The island is an important site for the reproduction of marine species. It constitutes a Costal Marine Humedal (Humedal Marino Costero) that is a refuge for manta rays, dolphins, corals, invertebrates and 27 registered species of sharks, predominantly the punta white and black, the blue, the hammerhead and the main attraction: the whale-shark.
Also, 200 years ago, they introduced 6 mammal species: the feral pig, the dear white tile, the domestic goat, the rat, the domestic mouse, and the cat. The island is a resting place of refuge for some fishermen, and has main services like showers, drinkable water, walking trails, viewing places, scuba diving centers, first aids, and radio communication system (satellite telephone) Besides, it is a permanent lodge for the park rangers, who are there for 30 to 45 days before being relieved of their duties.
Flora
The Isla del Coco is covered by an always green forest, very dense. It presents exuberant vegetation with a high level of endonismo. 60 out of 235 species are unique. There are 17 kinds of ferns of 36 hours, and speed 9 knots per hour. Nowadays, there is development of a big activity of recreational, naturalist and scientific tourism, due to the attraction of the protected bays, very suitable for submarine diving.
The special combination of geology, climate, oceanography and ecology made the Isla del Coco a natural lab, unique in the world. The diversity of eco-systems and micro-climate give numerous ecological niches that give support to the high endemism. The island count with an approximately 16 % of endemics species, made it to be considered as one of the 4 regions of the world that are more important in that matter.
Cloud Forest in Isla del Coco
It has an abundance of attractions for visitors: the ferns, the bromelias, the rivers, the bricks and the falls, the cliffs, and the islands visited by an infinity of marine birds and place of nesting for seagulls and bobos birds; the bays special for diving, the blue-aqua sea, the extraordinary transparency, and the convergence of whale, sharks, the aleta black or white, the giant hammerhead sharks, the tunas, the picos loro, the manta rays and the jureles.
Besides the great attractions that exert internationally, the Isla del Coco has to Costa Rica a singular political value, because gives a radio of 200 nautical miles of Mar Patrimonial (Patrimony Sea), that establish approximately 290.00 square kilometers of Exclusive Economical Zone, which not just set the border of the Costa Rican National Sovereignty on Ecuador, Colombia and the International Community on high sea, but gives the country access to a very rich diversity of fishing species that have very large commercial interests.
Its geographic and marine situation awards itself big relevance in the level of oceanography and climatological for scientific research and environmental monitoring, besides being a unique site for the study of the oceanography and geostrophic dynamic in the Oriental Pacific Ocean, due the convergence of the 7 marine currents in the island.
Ecotourism and Nature 
