The predominant species of vegetation include cupey palm, the huriki which is a large endemic tree with spreading crown. There are approximately 127 species of spermatophytes. The island receives a very large amount of rainfall-7.000mm a year. The forest mass is very thick, very moist evergreen. The terrain is very rugged, which led to the formation of many waterfalls, some plunge directly into the sea with a spectacular view.
Sharks are very numerous everywhere, especially the gigantic hammerheads and white-tipped sharks.
Cocos Island is located at the center of the volcanic Cocos Ridge, which runs from the Galapagos Islands to the Middle American Trench southeat of Costa Rica. It is the only outcrops of this submarine volcanic chain and rises 3.000 meters from the bottom of the ocean to the summit.