Sharks

Cocos Island is famed for its large populations of sharks, with hammerhead sharks being the stars of the show. They congregate in schools of hundreds, even thousands.
Tiger sharks are also a big attraction here, found on the dive sites around Manuelita islet. Also numerous are the Galapagos sharks, white-tip sharks, silver-tip sharks, nurse sharks, and silky sharks, but one may even spot a whale shark if they're lucky. The sharks are everywhere, and it’s almost a guarantee you’ll see at least one at every dive site. There are so many sharks at Cocos Island that some dive operators give refunds if there are no sightings of the animals during a dive.

Marine Fauna

It’s the sharks that have gained Cocos Island popularity among divers, but there are plenty of other marine creatures that make each dive a stunning experience. The healthy ecosystem is home to schooling bigeye trevallies, blue-striped snappers, barracudas, grunts, marble rays, moray eels, mobula rays, manta rays, eagle rays, as well as pilot whales, humpback whales, sea lions, and bottlenose dolphins.

Coral Reefs

Cocos island is home to some of the most diverse coral reefs in Costa Rica. Up to 30 species of corals have been documented on the island, which makes Cocos the location with the highest number of species in the country. The island’s reefs are known to be healthy, with functional trophic chains. Cocos’ reefs are the perfect habitat for one of the largest biomasses of fish in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, with many endemic species found in the reefs. The island is also vital for ensuring the larval connectivity between the two ends of the Pacific.