San Lucas Island facts for kids

Quick facts for kids San Lucas Island National Park
Parque Nacional Isla San Lucas
IUCN Category II (National Park)
San Lucas as seen from the Gulf of Nicoya
Location	Costa Rica
Area	4.49 square kilometres (1.73 sq mi) (terrestrial), 9.95 square kilometres (3.84 sq mi) (marine)
Established	24 August 2020
Governing body	National System of Conservation Areas (SINAC)
Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).

San Lucas Island National Park (which in Spanish is Parque Nacional Isla San Lucas) is a beautiful island found off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. It is located in the Gulf of Nicoya and is part of the Puntarenas area.

This island used to be home to a very tough prison. That prison is now empty. In August 2020, the island was officially named a National Park. It is now looked after by the Central Pacific Conservation Area.

What's in a Name?

The island is named after Luke the Evangelist. He was an important person in history.

Island Location and Size

San Lucas Island is in the Gulf of Nicoya, off Costa Rica's Pacific coast. You can get there by boat from Puntarenas in about 40 minutes. The island is about 4.6 square kilometers (1.8 square miles) in size.

Ancient People on the Island

Long ago, native groups lived on San Lucas and the islands nearby. Experts have found eight old sites on the island. These sites might have been where people lived. In the late 1970s, stone tools and a metal object were found there. These findings show that people lived on the island between 1,000 and 1,500 AD.

The Island's Prison Past

From 1873 to 1991, San Lucas Island was a prison island. It held some people who had committed serious crimes in Costa Rica. The prison was started by a leader named Tomás Miguel Guardia Gutiérrez.

Being sent to San Lucas Island was very hard. Prisoners often faced very difficult conditions. It is interesting that Guardia stopped the death penalty just one year after opening this prison.

The old prison buildings are now seen as important cultural sites. These buildings include a historic dock that is still used today. There is also a church, a medical building, and temporary holding cells. You can also see a main office building and old water pumps. The island also has different prison cells. These cells were for prisoners based on their crimes.

A former prisoner named José León Sánchez wrote a book about his time there. It was called La Isla de Hombres Solos, which means "The Island of Lonely Men." León said he was wrongly put in prison for a crime he did not do. Another well-known prisoner was Beltrán Cortés Carvajal. He was known for killing two doctors.

San Lucas Becomes a National Park

San Lucas Island was first made a Wildlife Refuge in 2002. This meant it was a protected area for animals.

Then, on August 10, 2020, it became the 30th National Park of Costa Rica. It was also named a Historical-Architectural Heritage site. This means its buildings and history are protected.

Amazing Wildlife

The island is home to many different animals. You can find howler monkeys, spiders, snakes, deer, and pheasants. There are also at least 8 types of bats living on the island. In the waters around the island, you might see hammerhead sharks, rays, and turtles.

Visiting the Island

The Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (Costa Rican Tourism Institute) is working to make the island better for visitors. They plan to add places for restaurants and tour groups.

Now, San Lucas Island is a popular place for tourists. Many companies offer boat trips to the island. However, there is a concern. People worry that too much tourism might harm the old pre-Columbian sites. It could also affect the prison's historical importance. And it might disturb the wildlife living there.

Plans are being made to create more eco-friendly ways for people to visit the island. This will help protect its special nature and history.

Volunteers Helping Out

The charity Raleigh International helps the island a lot. Young volunteers from this group work with park rangers. They help clean beaches and improve the area around the island. This makes the island more attractive for visitors.

See also

In Spanish: Isla San Lucas para niños

• Alcatraz Island, former island prison in California, United States.
• Asinara, former island prison in Italy.
• Cellular Jail, former island prison in India.
• Château d'If, former island prison in France.
• Devil's Island, former island prison in French Guiana.
• Fort Denison, former island prison in Australia.
• Robben Island, former island prison in South Africa.

Images for kids

• 

  Main dock and administrative offices, 2008