Coiba (said in Spanish as [ˈkojβa]) 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 in the Veraguas province of 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 thousands of years, most animals on the island developed different appearances 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 was known for harsh conditions, torture, and executions. It is unclear how many people died there, but some sources suggest the number may have been close to 300. Because of this, the island was avoided by local people, and little development occurred except for the prison.

After the prison closed in 2004, the island’s untouched and natural state made it a good place for conservation. Some people say the prison is haunted by the spirits of former prisoners. One story claims a guard chased a prisoner, only to discover the prisoner was a ghost. The guard became so frightened that he shot himself. Coiba is also one of the last places in Central America where large numbers of scarlet macaws live in the wild. About 75% of the island is covered in forest, much of it ancient and undisturbed. 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 includes more than 1,042 square miles of islands, forests, beaches, mangroves, and coral reefs. In July 2005, UNESCO named it a World Heritage Site.

The park covers Coiba Island, 38 smaller islands near Panama’s southwest coast, 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 designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) 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 the effects of El Niño temperature changes, which supports a high level of biodiversity in the park’s marine ecosystems. Coiba National Park is home to 760 species of marine fish, 33 species of sharks, and 20 species of cetaceans.