Editing Cocos Island (section)

===Present status and international distinctions===
[[File:Orthographic projection centred over Cocos Island.png|thumb|Orthographic projection centred over Cocos Island]]
Cocos Island was declared a Costa Rican National Park by means of an executive decree in 1978 and designated a [[World Heritage Site]] by [[UNESCO]] in 1997. In 2002, the World Heritage Site designation was extended to include an expanded marine zone of {{convert|1997|km2|0|abbr=on}}. In addition, it is included in the list of [[Ramsar Wetlands|Wetlands of International Importance]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ramsar.org/key_conv_e.htm|title=Ramsar Convention text in English<!-- Bot generated title -->|website=Ramsar.org|access-date=5 December 2017|archive-date=6 February 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206141549/http://ramsar.org/key_conv_e.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2009, Cocos Island was short-listed as a candidate for the [[New7Wonders of Nature]] by the [[New7Wonders of the World]] Foundation, ranking second in the island category.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.new7wonders.com/nature/en/liveranking/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090705105855/http://www.new7wonders.com/nature/en/liveranking/|url-status=dead|archive-date=5 July 2009|title=New7Wonders: Live Ranking|date=5 July 2009}}</ref>

Thanks to the great diversity of marine life in its waters, Cocos Island was named one of the best 10 [[scuba diving]] spots in the world by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors and a "must do" according to diving experts.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/20166937|title=World's 10 best scuba spots|website=[[NBC News]]|date=8 August 2007|access-date=17 November 2019|archive-date=23 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200923221352/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/20166937|url-status=dead}}</ref> Popular dive spots around the island are Bajo Alcyone (hammerhead sharks), Manuelina Garden (coral garden) and Dos Amigos Grande (natural underwater arch formation). For many, the main attractions are the large [[pelagic fish]] species, which are very abundant in this unique meeting point between deep and shallow waters. The largest schools of hammerhead sharks in the world are consistently reported there. Encounters with dozens if not hundreds of these and other large animals are nearly certain in every dive. Smaller and colorful species are also abundant in one of the most extensive [[coral reef]]s in the southeastern Pacific.<ref>Guzmán, H. M. and Cortés, J. (1992). Cocos Island (Pacific of Costa Rica) coral reefs after the 2010-83 El Niño disturbance. Revista de Biología Tropical 40: 309–324.</ref> Famous oceanographer [[Jacques Cousteau]] visited the island several times and in 1994 called it "the most beautiful island in the world". Such accolades have highlighted the urgent need to protect Cocos Island and its surrounding waters from illegal large-scale fishing, poaching and other [[#Habitats threatened|threats]].

The only persons allowed to live on Cocos Island are Costa Rican park rangers, who have established two encampments, including one at English Bay. Access by civilians is very limited; tourists and ship crew members are allowed ashore only with permission of island rangers, and are not permitted to camp, stay overnight or collect any flora, fauna or minerals from the island. Occasional [[amateur radio]] [[DXpedition]]s are allowed to visit.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://hamgallery.com/qsl/country/Cocos_Island/ti9cf4.htm |title=TI9CF 1970 Cocos Island |access-date=2020-12-31 |archive-date=2022-07-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705104834/http://hamgallery.com/qsl/country/Cocos_Island/ti9cf4.htm |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://qrznow.com/ti9a-dxpedition-to-cocos-island/ |title=TI9A DXpedition to Cocos Island |access-date=2020-12-31 |archive-date=2021-10-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211025231320/https://qrznow.com/ti9a-dxpedition-to-cocos-island/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The island is also very popular in pirate lore. It is said<ref>{{Cite web |last=McArthur |first=Sarah |date=2021-10-31 |title=Cocos Island National Park in Costa Rica: Guide for Divers |url=https://www.costaricavibes.com/cocos-island/ |access-date=2023-12-07 |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-09-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230923165918/https://www.costaricavibes.com/cocos-island/ |url-status=live }}</ref> that over 300 expeditions have searched for [[buried treasure]] there, such as the hoard of Benito Bonito, the [[Treasure of Lima]], and many others. Some small caches have been discovered,{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}} leading many to believe that the stories of vast pirate treasures are true, though the majority of searches have been unsuccessful. [[Treasure hunting]] is strictly prohibited by the Costa Rican government and permits are not being issued.

====Hermandad Marine Reserve====

In 2022 Ecuadorean President [[Guillermo Lasso]] announced the expansion of the [[Galápagos Marine Reserve]] by 50%, adding {{Cvt|23,000|sqmi|sqkm}} to protect submarine mountains northeast of the islands as the '''Hermandad Marine Reserve'''. It will connect with the protected area around Cocos Island.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Rust|first=Susanne|date=2022-01-14|title=Ecuador expands protected area around Galapagos Islands, providing safe passage for marine life|url=https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2022-01-14/ecuador-expands-protected-area-around-galapagos-islands|access-date=2022-01-14|website=Los Angeles Times|language=en-US|archive-date=2022-01-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220114182142/https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2022-01-14/ecuador-expands-protected-area-around-galapagos-islands|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2022-01-13|title=Ecuador to announce creation of Hermandad Marine Reserve off Galapagos (commentary)|url=https://news.mongabay.com/2022/01/ecuador-to-announce-creation-of-hermandad-marine-reserve-off-galapagos-commentary/|access-date=2022-01-14|website=Mongabay Environmental News|language=en-US|archive-date=2022-01-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220113214225/https://news.mongabay.com/2022/01/ecuador-to-announce-creation-of-hermandad-marine-reserve-off-galapagos-commentary/|url-status=live}}</ref>