Colombia is one of the 10 countries in the world with the greatest biodiversity. It concentrates almost 70% of all the planet’s ecosystems in just 10% of its territory, thanks in part to its two oceans, the Andes and Amazonia.
Gorgona National Park is made up of 2 islands in the Pacific Ocean, off the southwest coast of Colombia. Their names, Gorgona and Gorgonilla, were given to them by the conquistador Francisco Pizarro in 1527 because of the impressive number of snake bites his men suffered when they landed.
For 25 years, until 1984, Gorgona was a high-security prison, until scientists, environmentalists and human rights activists campaigned for its closure. With the inclusion of an important marine zone, the area became a National Park.
A small paradise of diversity suddenly appears on the high seas. The exuberant tropical jungle descends from the small cloudy peaks to the intense blue of the Pacific Ocean. Despite the small size of the main island, there are 25 streams with strong currents, due to the high level of annual rainfall.
This is the habitat of an impressive fauna that is still relatively unspoilt: snakes, primates, sloths, iguanas, birds… some of which are endemic. And its waters teem with whales, sperm whales, porpoises, dolphins, rorquals, white-tip and hammerhead sharks, turtles, sea lions…
