Costa Rica News – The black tip reef shark can now get its cedula.
It’s no longer a tourist but a resident of Cocos Island. So it no longer has to swim to Nicaragua or Panama every 90 days.
This awe inspiring species has been photographed in the area three times and reported by divers and rangers.
The closest place it has been reported is 5,000 kilometers from the island, so it’s quite a miracle that it even got there. They are prevalent in the Indo-Pacific but not in the Eastern Tropical Pacific.
It was first seen in the area in 2012 but this was believed to have been an isolated incident since it’s not native to the area and hadn’t been spotted there before. Recent sightings suggest there is now a permanent population in the two bays of Cocos Island.
A change in the ocean currents or environment may be causing animals to migrate towards the Eastern Tropical Pacific. The tiger shark has also arrived recently and the silver-tip shark has left.
Let’s hope none of these beautiful creatures become a victim of shark finning.
