Coiba is the largest island in Central America. It covers an area of 494 square kilometers (191 square miles) and is located off the Pacific coast of the Veraguas province in Panama. The island is part of the Montijo District within that province.
History
Coiba separated from the mainland of Panama between 12,000 and 18,000 years ago when ocean levels rose. Plants and animals on the island became separated from those on the mainland. Over time, most animals on Coiba developed different physical traits and behaviors compared to their mainland relatives. The island is home to many species found only there, such as the Coiba Island howler monkey and the Coiba spinetail.
In 1919, a prison was built on the island. During the time Panama was ruled by leaders Omar Torrijos and Manuel Noriega, the prison on Coiba was known for harsh conditions, severe punishment, executions, and political killings. The exact number of people killed there is unknown, but some sources suggest it may have been close to 300. Because of this, locals avoided the island, and except for the prison, it remained untouched.
After the prison closed in 2004, the island’s natural state made it a good place for conservation. Some people say the prison is haunted by the spirits of former prisoners. One story tells of a guard who chased a prisoner but discovered the prisoner was a ghost. The guard became so frightened he shot himself. Coiba is also one of the few places in Central America where large numbers of scarlet macaws live in the wild. About 75% of the island is covered in forests, including many old-growth trees. The island is home to rare plants and animals found nowhere else. It also has tree species that no longer exist on the mainland due to deforestation and overharvesting.
Coiba National Park
In 1992, Panama established Coiba National Park, which covers more than 1,042 square miles of islands, forests, beaches, mangroves, and coral reefs. In July 2005, UNESCO recognized the park as a World Heritage Site.
The park includes Coiba Island, 38 smaller islands near the southwest coast of Panama, and the surrounding marine areas in the Gulf of Chiriquí. These areas protect coral reefs, humpback whales, pilot whales, killer whales, dolphins, sea turtles, manta rays, marlins, and other marine animals. The park was named an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International because it supports large numbers of brown-backed doves, Coiba spinetails, and three-wattled bellbirds.
The Gulf of Chiriquí helps protect against changes in temperature caused by El Niño, which supports a high level of biodiversity in the park’s marine ecosystems. The park is home to 760 species of marine fish, 33 species of sharks, and 20 species of cetaceans.