Malpelo is an oceanic island located in the eastern Pacific Ocean, approximately 500 km (310 mi) west of the Colombian mainland. A military base, protected by the Colombian Armed Forces, is located on the island. The island is made of steep and rocky terrain with three tall peaks, the highest being Cerro de la Mona, which reaches 300 m (980 ft). The island measures about 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) in length from northeast to southwest and is 640 meters (700 yards) wide at its widest point.

Geography

Malpelo is the only island that rises above the water from the Malpelo Ridge, an underwater volcanic ridge that stretches in a northeast-to-southwest direction for 300 kilometers (190 miles) and is 100 kilometers (62 miles) wide. This island is surrounded by several offshore rocks. To the northeast are the Tres Mosqueteros rocks, and to the southwest are Salomón, Saúl, La Gringa, and Escuba. All these rocks are surrounded by deep water, and most of the main island’s sides are very steep. Depth measurements between 1,800 and 9,100 meters (1,000 and 5,000 fathoms) can be found within a few kilometers of the shore, and the ocean currents near the island are strong and change direction often. As an oceanic island, Malpelo has never been connected to other islands or the mainland.

Malpelo Island is made of rocks called Miocene pillow lavas, volcanic breccias, and basaltic dikes, which are 16 to 17 million years old. This island and the underwater Malpelo Ridge were formed during the Late Miocene period along with the Carnegie Ridge. Their creation was caused by complex interactions between the Cocos-Nazca Spreading Centre and the Galápagos hotspot.

History

Malpelo Island was probably not touched by people before Europeans arrived. It has no people living there and is in the same area as other islands in the eastern Pacific Ocean, such as Cocos Island, Galápagos, and the Revillagigedo Islands. These islands were also uninhabited when Europeans first reached them and may have remained so throughout their history before that.

The exact date when Malpelo was discovered is not known. However, it may have been the first remote island in the eastern Pacific found by Europeans. Maps from Peru dating back to 1530 show the island. After its discovery, Spain claimed ownership of Malpelo. Later, Peru took control, and eventually, Colombia did.

Because of its distance from other lands, Malpelo is considered a special area for amateur radio operators. Several special trips to the island have been organized with permission from the Colombian government.

In September 2024, three people from Ecuador were caught fishing illegally in the Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary, a protected marine area. They were stopped by the Colombian National Navy while moving about 40 fish that were caught without permission, including Sailfish, Marlin, Dorado, Albacore, Tollo Sharks, and Hammerhead Sharks. The individuals were charged with crimes such as harming the environment, causing damage to nature, and breaking fishing laws. During early court meetings, they did not argue their guilt. A judge then ordered them to be held in jail while the legal case continues.

Natural history

At first glance, the island appears to be covered only in bare rock with no plants, but bird guano deposits help some plants grow. These plants include algae, lichens, mosses, and a few shrubs and ferns, which get nutrients from the guano. Lizards are the only non-bird animals with backbones on the island, and there are three lizard species total.

• Agassiz's anole (Anolis agassizi)
• Dotted galliwasp (Diploglossus millepunctatus)
• Colombian leaf-toed gecko (Phyllodactylus transversalis)

The island is also home to a special kind of land crab called Johngarthia malpilensis, which was first discovered in 1893.

The island has been recognized as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports a breeding population of about 60,000 to 110,000 Nazca boobies, as estimated in 2007.

Malpelo is home to a unique group of sharks. Divers often see groups of 500 hammerhead sharks and many silky sharks. It is one of the few places where the smalltooth sand tiger shark has been seen alive, often near the dive site "El Bajo del Monstruo." A species of fish called Acanthemblemaria stephensi, the Malpelo barnacle blenny, lives in coral reefs around Malpelo. A large no-fishing area covering more than 850,000 hectares surrounds the island.

The Malpelo Nature Reserve is a protected area for plants and animals, covering 857,500 hectares (3,311 square miles), centered at 04°0′12.038″N 81°36′27.259″W (4.00334389°N 81.60757194°W). A Colombian organization is working to protect the area's biodiversity. On July 12, 2006, UNESCO declared Malpelo a natural World Heritage Site because of its importance as a shark reserve.

Chronology

• 1530 – Malpelo was shown on a map from this year.
• 1542 – Cristóbal Vaca de Castro visited the area.
• 1550 – Malpelo was shown on a map made by Pierre Desceliers.
• 1704 – The English ship Cinque Ports sank near Malpelo.
• 1790 – A Spanish landing on Malpelo was noted by Alessandro Malaspina.
• 1793 – James Colnett visited Malpelo.
• 1837 – An article in The Nautical Magazine mentioned a visit to Malpelo.
• 1995 – Malpelo was named a protected area for plants and animals.