Today, on International Biodiversity Day, we are reminded of the beauty, interconnectedness and fragility of life on Earth. From vibrant coral reefs to vast underwater kelp forests, biodiversity sustains us all. But deep in the Pacific Ocean, a critical lifeline – a migratory highway for endangered marine species – is under threat. We need your voice to help protect it!
The Cocos-Galapagos Swimway stretches between Costa Rica’s Cocos Island National Park and Ecuador’s Galapagos Marine Reserve, forming an underwater superhighway for marine wildlife. Despite its importance, parts of this critical migration corridor remain unprotected – even though it is used by green sea turtles, leatherback turtles, whale sharks, scalloped hammerhead sharks, silky sharks, whales and many other species, most of which are endangered or threatened.
These majestic creatures migrate across vast ocean expanses, but the moment they leave protected areas, they enter dangerous open waters – exposed to industrial fishing, bycatch and illegal harvesting. Without international cooperation, their journeys become perilous.
Ecuador has taken bold steps to expand protection of its portion of the swimway. Join us in urging Costa Rica to do the same – to fully protect its section of the Cocos-Galapagos Swimway and join Ecuador in creating one of the world’s first bi-national marine protected areas.
You can be a part of a growing movement of citizens, organizations, scientists and policymakers in urging Costa Rica to protect its portion of the Swimway below:
Protecting the full Swimway would:
- Safeguard critical migration routes
- Preserve biodiversity between two UNESCO World Heritage Sites
- Help both countries meet the global goal of protecting 30% of our oceans by 2030
- Set a precedent for international ocean conservation
Together, we can make this Swimway a global symbol of cooperation, hope and resilience. On this International Biodiversity Day, together we can choose to protect not just species, but the interconnected journeys that allow them to thrive. Let’s protect the path, let’s protect the future!
