Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary

The largest no-fishing zone in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary is a Unesco-listed area that is home to a number of endangered marine species. The sanctuary includes Malpelo Island and its surrounding waters, renowned as one of the best diving spots in the world. Home to rare and endangered species, Malpelo is recognized as a vital component of the biodiversity in the area.

The Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary is a huge marine protected area located 500 kilometers off the coast of Colombia. The desolate Malpelo Island and its rocky outcroppings, which cover 35 hectares of land, constitute the highest elevation of the massive submerged Malpelo Ridge. Despite its tiny size, the island is thought to play a significant role in the reproduction of a variety of marine species.

Widely recognized as one of the top diving sites in the world, due to the presence of steep walls and caves of outstanding natural beauty, these deep waters support important populations of large predators and pelagic species (e.g. aggregations of over 200 hammerhead sharks and over 1,000 silky sharks, whale sharks and tuna have been recorded) in an undisturbed environment where they maintain natural behavioral patterns.

Location: Malpelo island, Colombia