Discover the Amazing Hidden World of
Coiba National Park

Coiba National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site and National Marine Park, is home to many rare & unique species. Isla Coiba was the site of one of the last remaining penal colonies. After the close of the prison in 2005, scientists and researchers found the islands and the surrounding seas to be in an extraordinary state of conservation.

  • 108,000 acres of untouched, virtually unexplored, primary rainforest.

  • Over 4,200 acres of coral reef, including the second largest reef in the Eastern pacific.

  • Over 5,000 acres of red, white and black mangrove forest that scientists say is the most diverse and best preserved in Central America.

  • Hundreds of new species of animals, plants, and insects have been recently discovered and new discoveries are being made every month.

  • 33 species of shark have been tagged in the park to-date including: Whale sharks, galapagos sharks, white tip reef sharks, black tip reef sharks, hammerheads, scalloped hammerheads, silky sharks, tiger sharks and bull sharks.

  • One of the only places in the world where the endangered Humpback whales migrate from both the Northern and Southern hemispheres to give birth to their calves.

  • Sixteen species of whales can be found in Coiba including: Humpbacks, Brydes whales, pilot whales, Orcas, and false killer whales.

  • Five species of sea turtles, four of which nest on Coiba Island. All five of which are listed as vulnerable, endangered or critically endangered on the IUCN red list.

  • 147 species of birds have been found on Isla Coiba, of which 21 are endemic.

  • Coiba is the last refuge for many species that have disappeared from Panama, including the Scarlet Macaw and the Crested Eagle.

  • 51 species of insects have been discovered on Coiba that are completely new to science.

  • Over 760 species of fish have been found within the marine park and researchers say 80% of these are unique to the area.

  • Over 1,000 plants have been identified on Isla Coiba, many of these are new discoveries to the scientific community.

  • UNESCO has proclaimed Coiba as “An Extraordinary Science Resource.”