Columbia's former prison island, Gorgona now open for ecotourism

Columbia's former prison island, Gorgona, is w open for tourists and snakes.  island is home to three kwn vemous species of snakes including Bothrops asper and two species of coral snakes -- Micrurus dumerilii and Micrurus mipartitus. tourists have to wear boots before stepping foot on Gorgona National Park.  island inhabits a host of or wild animals as well.

Famous for its snakes, tourism was unattainable for Island until w.

Columbian island got its name from its Spanish discoverers. In 1527, Francisco Pizarro arrived at  island on his way to Peru. He, along with his thirteen men, inhabited  island for seven months. Pizarro lost many of his men to snake bites. Thus, name Gorgon which refers to a mythical female monster (also kwn as Medusa in some mythologies) who had a head full of vemous snakes for hair.

According to Gorgona National Natural Park authority, island was closed for tourists since it lacks tourism operators and doesn't have accommodation or restaurant services. park, until w, was open to researchers and scientists arriving on diving boats during daylight hours. However, it w open to general public.

Gorgona was a maximum-security prison for 25 years until 1984, when scientists, environmentalists, and human rights defenders led a campaign to close prison. Park was thus created and incorporating a great portion of marine area around it.

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prison was supposed to be escape-proof as island was surrounded by shark-infested waters. However, some prisoners -- who were part of timber cutting crews -- are said to have escaped on rafts out of balsa wood.

Gorgona also houses many unique species of reptiles like endemic blue ale, only all-blue ale lizard in world. 

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