Located some 506 km off the coast of Colombia, the site includes Malpelo island (350 ha) and the surrounding marine environment (857,150 ha). This vast marine park, the largest no-fishing zone in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, provides a critical habitat for internationally threatened marine species, and is a major source of nutrients resulting in large aggregations of marine biodiversity. It is in particular a ‘reservoir’ for sharks, giant grouper and billfish and is one of the few places in the world where sightings of the short-nosed ragged-toothed shark, a deepwater shark, have been confirmed. 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 behavioural patterns.

Brief synthesis

is a large marine protected area some 500 km off Colombia’s Pacific Coast. The terrestrial area of 35 hectares, the barren Malpelo Island and its rocky outcroppings, represents the highest elevation of the enormous underwater Malpelo Ridge. Despite its small size the island is believed to play an important role as an aggregation point for the reproduction of numerous marine species. The vast majority of the property, 857,465 hectares, is a “marine wilderness” constituting the largest no-fishing zone in the Eastern Tropical Pacific. The rugged underwater topography includes steep walls, caves and tunnels, reaching a depth of around 3,400 metres. Jointly with the local confluence of several oceanic currents, this complex terrain is the basis for highly diverse marine ecosystems and habitats. Due to the remoteness and protection efforts the conservation status of the property is excellent, making Malpelo one of the top diving destinations in the World. belongs to the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor, a marine conservation network, which also includes World Heritage properties in Costa Rica, Ecuador and Panama.
The property hosts impressive populations of marine species, including large top predators and pelagic species, such as Giant Grouper, Billfish and numerous shark species. Major aggregations of Hammerhead Shark, Silky Shark, Whale Shark and Tuna have been recorded. Other biodiversity highlights include 17 marine mammal species, seven marine reptile species, 394 fish species and 340 species of mollusks. Known marine endemics include five fish species and two sea star species. Malpelo Island and its satellite rocks boast a limited but highly specialized terrestrial biodiversity characterized by a high degree endemism, including five plant species, three reptiles and two arthropods. The rocky outcroppings support large colonies of Nazca Boobies, as well as important populations of Swallow-tailed Gull, Masked Booby and the critically endangered Galapagos Petrel.

Criterion (vii)

: The pristine underwater environment of featuring dramatic cliffs, rock formations, caves and tunnels, as well as abundant and diverse marine life is of striking natural beauty. The major aggregations of the full range of large top predators are an increasingly rare sight in the World’s overfished seas. The geographically extraordinary position at the meeting point of several marine currents, the varied underwater mountain seascape and the excellent state of conservation combine to make the property a World Class “ocean oasis” – and an exhilarating experience for divers.

Criterion (ix)

: Due to its remote location and as the largest no-fishing zone in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, supports unaltered ecosystems free of major acute threats. The confluence of several marine currents turns the property into an unusual geographical spot with a complex and diverse array of habitats and species. The three major marine communities surrounding Malpelo Island can be distinguished as belonging to the vertical habitats, the coral reefs and the pelagic. Large top predators continue to fulfil their ecological roles and behaviour patterns continue undisturbed, providing unique opportunities for research. The evolutionary processes associated with the extreme isolation, the convergence of several ocean currents and related nutrient regimes and the geological formations are of great ecological importance and scientific interest. Free of alien invasive species, Malpelo Island and the surrounding waters are not only a conservation gem on its own but contribute to the maintenance, dispersal and replenishment of benthic larvae of corals, fish and mollusks and other marine life in the broader Eastern Tropical Pacific. As the wider region is under increasing pressure from overfishing and other threats, the property is thus of enormous conservation and indeed economic importance well beyond its boundaries.

Integrity

In spite of the small surface area Malpelo Island, and the rocks surrounding it, have significant ecological functions – not only as regards the limited but highly interesting and specialized terrestrial fauna and flora but also in terms of the interaction with the marine area. One example through the massive nutrient inputs from the huge bird colonies. The island and its satellite rocks are protected in their entirety, surrounded by a large marine protected area and located in a remote area of the Pacific, all of which contributes to the integrity of the terrestrial property. While there have never been permanent inhabitants, today there is a small rotating unit of the Colombian Navy and a limited and controlled number of visiting divers and scientists. Provided adequate behaviour and strict compliance with precautionary protocols as regards alien invasive species, the prospects of maintaining the integrity of the terrestrial are promising. For the foreseeable future, the prospects for the marine areas are likewise positive due to the large size and remoteness of the property. However, this will depend on enforcement of the adequate legal framework which declares the entire property a no-take area. In the long term, the integrity of will also be influenced by the management and conservation of the wider Eastern Tropical Pacific, in particular as regards fisheries.

Protection and management requirements

The conservation history of the property started in 1995, when Malpelo Island was designated a Flora and Fauna Sanctuary by Ministerial Resolution, thereby joining Colombia’s national protected areas system. One year later, the marine surface area was extended to six nautical miles (roughly eleven kilometres) around the island by another resolution. In 2003, the International Maritime Organisation declared the sanctuary a “Particularly Sensitive Sea Area”, making it off-limits to commercial shipping. A major milestone was achieved in 2005, when a new resolution extended the sanctuary from 65,450 to 857,500 hectares, a 13-fold increase. The property is an impressive example of an outstanding place developing from a small terrestrial protected area into a large-scale marine World Heritage property and part of an international site network within only a decade. The sanctuary is managed by the Colombian Protected Areas Agency, which belongs to the Ministry of Environment. Several nongovernmental organisations support research, management and funding. The Colombian Navy, the only permanent human presence on Malpelo Island, cooperates in the patrolling of the island and the surrounding waters.
The remoteness of the property means a high degree of natural protection. Yet, management and corresponding funding are required to address current and potential threats emanating from illegal fishing, marine traffic, tourism and alien invasive species. Legally, the entire property is a no-take area but monitoring of illegal commercial and artisanal fishing is needed and depends on costly patrolling and law enforcement both in and around the sanctuary. Increasing marine traffic resulting in disturbance and posing pollution risks is addressed internationally through the declaration of Malpelo as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area but likewise requires systematic monitoring. By its very nature, Malpelo Island cannot develop into a major tourist destination and will remain a niche destination for specialized, boat-based diving tourism. Overall visitor numbers and group sizes are controlled in accordance with established limits. While the tourists contribute to conservation financing, the potential remains to be fully realised. Tourists along with scientists and the rotating Navy personnel are the only regular visitors to Malpelo Island so the control of their behaviour will decide whether the small but ecologically highly interesting terrestrial area can be maintained free of alien invasive species. It is undisputed that many, if not most, of the property’s marine secrets remain to be discovered suggesting a major potential for research in an almost pristine natural environment.