Source: http://www.journalcr.com/
Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com/
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com
(Infocom) — Famous worldwide for being one of the places with the biggest marine biodiversity and because of the legends about a pirate treasure hidden there, Isla del Coco (Cocos Island) has been recently nominated as one of the sites vying to be among the world’s seven new natural wonders, according to an announcement made by the Web site http://www.new7wonders.com/
The Costa Rican island is one of 300 natural wonders nominated by the Swiss foundation New 7 Wonders, the same that organized a contest to elect the seven new wonders of the world in 2007. Cocos Island’s candidacy was gladly received by the organizations that work to protect its marine ecosystems.
“The nomination is excellent, as it is a wonderful recognition to a site of great biological importance for the world. We believe there are many possibilities it will be chosen among the seven first places, so we are encouraging everybody to vote for the island on the Web,” said Danny Gonzalez, spokesperson for the organization MarViva, which protects the marine resources of Cocos and the East Pacific Biological Corridor, which comprises the island.
Web surfers from all over the world have until Dec. 31 of this year to cast their votes at the New 7 Wonders site. A total of 21 finalists will be chosen from this initial poll, and in 2009 there will another contest to pick the winners.
Currently, Cocos is 35 on the provisional ranking. Other nominees include the Amazon jungle, the Iguazu waterfalls and Lake Titicaca in South America; the Everglades, Kilauea Volcano and the Grand Canyon in North America; the Kalahari Desert and Victoria Falls in Africa; and Mount Everest and the Sunderbans mangrove forest in Asia.
Gonzalez said the nomination will also help strengthen the awareness efforts carried out by several organizations charged with protecting the island’s marine resources and biodiversity, as it will drive people to know more about the site and its importance for the world.
“The island houses great nature and cultural riches. It’s home to many endemic species and is part of the East Pacific Tropical Marine Corridor, along with the islands of Coiba, Malpelo and the Galapagos, which allows the movement of many migratory marine species from North and South America,” he explained.
“This nomination will also help people learn about serious problems that affect Cocos Island’s marine ecosystems, such as illegal fishing, shark finning and other human activities that put pressure on natural resources. Protecting these resources is a big challenge, and that’s why this year we will do our best to tell people about the importance to know about and contribute to the safeguard of this heritage site,” Gonzalez added.
Cocos Island, a national park under the protection of the Ministry of the Environment and Energy, was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1967. It houses some 27 shark species and 235 plant species, 70 of them endemic. Moreover, it has a rich historical and cultural site, containing petroglyphs and graffiti left by buccaneers in the 18th century.
Posted by Roger Vlasos
Broker/Owner
Century21 At the Beach
Playas del Coco, Guanacaste
Website: http://www.century21incostarica.com/
Email: roger@century21incostarica.com
