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Coiba separated from continental Panama between 12,000 and 18,000 years ago when sea levels rose. Plants and animals on the new island became isolated from mainland populations and over the millennia most animals have diverged in appearance and behaviour from their mainland counterparts. The island
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After the prison was closed down in 2004, the island's pristine condition made it ideal as a reserve. It is now said that the prison is haunted by the ghosts of prisoners. One story is that a guard was chasing a prisoner, but the prisoner was a ghost. The guard was so scared that he shot himself.
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can be found in large numbers in the wild. The island is about 75% forested with a large fraction comprising standing ancient forest. Coiba Island is home to rare flora and fauna found only on the island. The island also harbours tree species that have long disappeared from the mainland due to
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temperature swings, the marine ecosystems within Coiba
National Park harbor a high degree of biodiversity. The park is home to 760 species of marine fishes, 33 species of sharks and 20 species of cetaceans.
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providing protection for coral reefs, humpback whales, pilot whales, killer whales, dolphins, sea turtles, manta rays, marlins and other marine creatures. The park has been designated an
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In 1992, Panama created Coiba
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The park includes Coiba island, 38 smaller islands off the southwest coast of Panama, and the surrounding marine areas within the
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Due to the Gulf of
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678:"The Coiba National Park, declared a world heritage site by UNESCO"
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Coiba is also one of the last places in
Central America where the
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Coiba
National Park and its Special Zone of Marine Protection
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598:"How a Deadly Prison Island Became a Natural Paradise"
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486:is home to many endemic subspecies, including the
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109:Learn how and when to remove this message
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951:Important Bird Areas of Oceania
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606:. 29 April 2017. Archived from
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921:World Heritage Sites in Panama
710:. BirdLife International. 2024
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680:. Madrid. 20 July 2005.
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570:three-wattled bellbirds
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348:Spanish pronunciation:
789:Barro Colorado Island
704:"Coiba National Park"
149:Isla Granito de Oro,
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371:. It is part of the
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732:Coiba National Park
554:Important Bird Area
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859:Volcán Barú
463:August 2023
316:State Party
246:Established
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201:Coordinates
905:Categories
829:La Amistad
794:Cerro Hoya
714:2024-09-21
688:25 January
662:25 January
584:References
493:, and the
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365:Panamanian
291:Designated
69:newspapers
854:Soberanía
844:Portobelo
556:(IBA) by
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656:Archived
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283:Criteria
191:Veraguas
187:Location
849:Sarigua
814:El Cope
799:Chagres
614:7 April
577:El Niño
447:scholar
422:"Coiba"
379:History
361:Pacific
310:1138rev
298:session
278:Natural
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652:UNESCO
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