The Coiba National Park (CNP), UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site, is located to the southeast coast of the Republic of Panama within the Gulf of Chiriquí.

It is, without question, the crown jewel of Panama’s extensive and spectacular protected  natural reserves.  Remote, uninhabited, wild and of great natural beauty, this biological “Hot Spot”  provides protected and undisturbed  habitat for thousands of terrestrial and marine species and is a Mecca and complexity of animal migratory routes and reproduction sites.

Lush, ancient primary tropical rain forests plunge down onto the exposed, dramatic and rugged  formations of the western facing coastlines, and line and contrast the  protected calmer shores to the east, with their crystalline azure waters, white sandy beaches, hidden coves and bays. The ocean surrounding CNP, the Tropical Eastern Pacific, (TEP) is one of the most isolated and dynamic marine regions in the world. These protected waters are vibrant and alive and host a rich and diverse community of marine fauna including over 1,700 hectares of coral reefs, mollusks, echinoderms, sea turtles and cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises). 760 species of fish,  including 33 species of shark and rays, including whale shark, tiger shark, bull shark, white-tip reef, black-tip  and scalloped hammerhead shark.

This is one of the few remaining destinations in the world where a diver can encounter many endangered species and extensive vibrant coral reefs.
Geography Of The Coiba National Park And Gulf Of Chiriqui

CNP encompasses 2,701 square kilometers, and includes Coiba and 38 smaller islands. The total land area covers 535 km2 while the oceanic area is 2,165 km2. Coiba Island has a total surface area of 503 km2.

The CNPs Special Zone of  Marine Protection added an  additional 1,607 square kilometers of marine environment including, Panama’s only  oceanic island,  Montuosa, and  the Hannibal Bank, a sea mount that rises from 6000ft to150ft from the surface,  two totally pelagic  environments and  key marine reproduction sites. The total protected environment of the CNP covers an area of 3,300 square kilometers, and is one of the largest marine protected areas in the world.

Climate

Tropical Humid Climate with 3.5 mts /11 ft of rainfall per year. Average temperature of 25 C. March is the hottest month,  with an average temperature of 32.5 C; October is the coolest month with an average temperature of 22 C. There are two distinct seasons, the Dry Season, mid December to May and the Wet or Green Season, June to December. The wettest month is October with an average of 25 days of rain. The driest month is February with an average of 3 days of rain. Relative Humidity hovers around of 80%. Dry Season, a typical day: AM and PM Clear skies, hot sunny and offshore breeze, very little to no rain. Rainy or Green season:  AM, Skies slightly overcast, hot, sunny and humid.  PM Afternoon rain, clearing before dark.

Oceanography

Situated in Tropical Eastern Pacific and influenced by 5 major oceanic currents. There is up to a 5.0 Meters/16 foot tidal exchange every 6 hour period. The islands are situated close to,  or  on the edge of the continental shelf, bringing deep open ocean (pelagic) conditions and highly nutrient rich waters very close to shore. The closest land mass is 10,000 km away to the south and west. Irregular volcanic substrate with great diversity of marine habitats, from deep water sea mounts, pinnacles and drop-offs,  to shallow coral reefs, rocky shores, beaches, mangroves, estuaries, sand and mud areas. Water depths down to 2000 mts / 6500 ft. Average surface water temperatures year round of 29 C/79 F. Highest rate of endemism of any equivalent region in the world.  Over 1,700 hectares of living coral reefs.

This eco region is the keystone of reproduction for the whole Tropical Eastern Pacific Marine Corridor, which includes Isla del Coco, Costa Rica, Isla Malpelo, Colombia and the Islands of the Galapagos.

Eco Systems And Biodiversity

Protected and undisturbed ecosystems from the mountains to the ocean. The CNP still has approximately 85 per cent of its ancient primary tropical very humid forest, surrounded by 240 km of coastline and irrigated by an extensive network of rivers, the largest of which is 23 km long.  Extensive old mangrove forests, habitat for caiman and an abundance of large  american crocodiles. Botanical surveys suggest the existence of around 2,000 species of vascular plant exist, including several endemics and numerous very rare and threatened species. A high level of endemism is reported for many groups of mammals and birds. Home to one of the last and largest groups of the Scarlet Macaw and nesting site to the rare and illusive Crested Eagle.

The regions spectacular deserted beaches are some of the last remaining protected nesting habitats for marine turtles in Panama, including nesting sites for the giant and almost extinct Pacific Leatherback.

Whales And Other Marine Mammals

Whales can be seen in the CNP all year round; however, the months from May to November offer the best opportunity to observe some of the largest migratory visitors, the Humpback Whales. Renowned for their spectacular acrobatic behavior, these mysterious leviathans of the deep travel thousands of miles from the icy waters of their winter feeding grounds at the poles. The purpose of this incredible journey, is to give birth in the warm, protected waters and escape the threat of many natural predators. The calves are born with very little body fat, something vital to protect them from the biting cold of the icy waters of their winter feeding grounds.
During their stay in Panama, every day the calves consume over one hundred gallons of their mother’s milk.  As the calves build up their weight and energy reserves, the mother teaches them to dive and how to survive the hostilities of the ocean. An incredible bond is formed between mother and calf. For the new born calves the journey home will be one of many perilous and remarkable voyages.
Recent scientific studies of the migratory routes of  some identified individuals from Antarctica to the Central American coasts of Panama and Costa Rica have suggested that this is the longest migration of any mammal, a journey of some 8300 kilometers / 5200 miles! The Humpback whales are one of over 20 species of marine mammals that can be observed in the area. The Tropical Whale, Fin and Pilot Whales along with large pods of Bottle Nosed, Common and Spinner Dolphins are common.  Examples of Toothed Whales such as the Orca and Sperm Whale are also seasonable visitors. Coiba Dive Expeditions supports Marine  Mammal conservation. We follow all local government and international guidelines for responsible observation of Marine Mammals.

Brief Anthropological History

The Chibcha, a Central American mountain tribe, established fishing camps on several of the islands around 2000 BC. Leaving their footprint in the form of ancient fish traps, which can still be seen on the intertidal zones around the park. Further evidence that natives from local coastal villages inhabited the CNP from 1500 BC. Relics of settlements have been found close to the rivers and in the caves on Coiba. There were four rival Indian tribes, the Chiriquí, Varela, Burica and Osa. Renowned as fierce warriors and mariners, who collected the heads of rival tribal members, using the skulls as drinking vessels. Coiba  Island takes its name from one prolific indian chief called “Quibo”. Archeologists suggest that the indians had a defined social structure and were hunters and gatherers, as apposed to farmers. Pearls were the most significant commercial asset. Legends spoke the mortal danger of the sea, terrifying marine life and mortal souls of dead divers wandering the land after losing their lives in search of the “Tears of the Sea”

Bartolome Hurtado, the first Spaniard to visit these islands in 1516, described the indians as “of large stature and spoke a local indian dialect, Guaymi”. They used thick cotton vests and carried heavy lances tipped with shark teeth.

By 1550 the Indians had been almost exterminated or moved to the gold mines in Darien by the Spanish invaders.

Coiba Island was left uninhabited for centuries, until, in 1919 the Penal Colony was established. 20 camps held up to 2000 prisoners who dedicated their time to farming, producing meat, rice, fruits and vegetables on 150 hectare lot. This produce fed all the prisoners and many school children on the main land, making Coiba a model prison at that time. The prison closed in June of 2000.

Brief  Geological History

The ancient formation of Coiba Island first rose from the abysmal depths of the ocean approximately a thousand miles south of its present geographical position. It is a product of a huge submarine lava outpour called the “Galapagos Hotspot”

The Pacific Tectonic Plate, riding on a bed of molten lava, shifted to the north and carried this newly formed island and several other new land masses towards the Central American Isthmus. The Pacific Plate then collided and sub-ducted below  the Caribbean Tectonic Plate, triggering a whole chain of volcanic activity, which  along  with extensive shoaling eventually closed the gap in the Central American Isthmus,  forming  the land bridge between the super continents of North and South America. Panama was born! Coiba, once an oceanic island, became a continental island.

The consequences of these events had much wider reaching affects, and are considered to be some of the most significant in our planets natural history since the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago.