Cocos Island, Costa Rica Photograph by Avi Klapfer   Central America: Off the coast of Costa Rica in the Pacific Ocean Tropical and Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests   50 square miles (100 square kilometers) -- about the size of Washington D.C. Relatively Stable/Intact

· Waterfalls in the Pacific
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Waterfalls in the Pacific

Cocos Island rises more than 2,000 feet (640 m) above the Pacific Ocean, with waterfalls flowing down its sheer cliffs into the ocean below. Covered with tropical vegetation and overflowing with fresh water, life abounds on this island.

Special Features

Cocos Island is dominated by dense, lush tropical rainforests, much like those seen in Costa Rica’s south Pacific mainland rainforests. However, the island lacks the high levels of diversity seen in mainland forests because of its isolation. But what it lacks in diversity it makes up for in high levels of endemism. Habitats on the island include patches of Hibiscus scrub in low-lying flats and small swamps. Growing along the slightly more open coastal areas are coconut and pond-apple trees, with ferns as ground cover.

	The Cocos Island finch is the only species of its family that is found outside of the Galápagos Islands.

Wild Side

The island is home to three endemic birds--the Cocos Island finch, Cocos Island cuckcoo, and the Cocos flycatcher. Many seabirds also roost and nest on this island, including frigate birds, white terns, masked boobies, red-footed boobies, and brown boobies. Great blue herons, green herons, and peregrine falcons can also be found on the island in certain seasons. As on many isolated islands, there are no native mammals or amphibians, but there are two endemic lizards and several endemic freshwater fish.

Cause for Concern

There are no permanent settlements on the island, only a research center and park station. The entire island is designated as a Costa Rican National Park and was named a World Heritage site in 1997. Introduced mammals such as pigs, cats, and rats have wreaked havoc on the local flora and fauna. Cats are especially problematic because they prey upon birds and all types of eggs, including those from birds, turtles, and other reptiles. Pigs destroy the ground cover by removing seedling plants, roots, seeds, tubers, and bulbs.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.