Isla Contoy

{{short description|Island off the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico}}

{{more citations needed|date=September 2024}}

{{Infobox protected area

| name = Isla Contoy

| iucn_category = II

| photo = IslaContoy-PeterMaas.JPG

| photo_caption =

| location = Isla Contoy, Isla Mujeres Municipality, Quintana Roo, Mexico {{flagicon|MEX}}

| nearest_city =

| coords = {{Coord|21|30|23|N|86|47|54|W|region:MX_type:isle|display=inline,title}}

| area =

| established = February, 1998

| visitation_num =

| visitation_year =

| governing_body = Secretariat of the Environment and Natural Resources

| world_heritage_site =

| embedded = {{Designation list

| embed = yes

| designation1 = Ramsar

| designation1_offname = Parque Nacional Isla Contoy

| designation1_date = 27 November 2003

| designation1_number = 1323{{Cite web|title=Parque Nacional Isla Contoy|website=Ramsar Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1323|access-date=25 April 2018}}}}

}}

Isla Contoy is a small island in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo, approximately 30 kilometers north of Isla Mujeres.{{cite web |url=http://www.islacontoy.org/aboutus.htm |title=Information about Isla Contoy |work=Amigos de Isla Contoy |access-date=20 July 2018 |first=Catalina |last=Galindo de Prince |publisher=Comisión Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas}}{{cite web |url=http://www.islamujerestours.com.mx/eng/isla-contoy.html |title=Visit Isla Contoy |work=Islas Mujeres Tour |access-date=20 July 2018 |archive-date=21 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170221212452/http://www.islamujerestours.com.mx/eng/isla-contoy.html |url-status=dead }} The island is only {{convert|8.5|km|1|abbr=on}} in length and has an area of {{convert|3.17|km2|2|abbr=out}}.

Since 1961, Isla Contoy is protected by the Mexican government and was declared a national park in February 1998. The island is jointly run by the Isla Mujeres-based non-governmental organization, Amigos de Isla Contoy A.C. and the Secretary of Environment, Natural Resources and Fishing (SEMARNAT).{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}

Supervised eco-tourism and regulated commercial fishing is allowed on and near the island. Only a few tour companies have permission to bring the only at maximum 200 daily visitors to Isla Contoy. Visitors need to apply for permission to visit the island at the park offices in Isla Mujeres or Cancún.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}

Four species of turtle find a safe haven for nesting on the beaches of the island, namely the loggerhead turtle, green turtle, hawksbill turtle, and the leatherback turtle. The reserve is also a sanctuary to approximately 152 tropical marine birds, like the frigate bird, brown pelican, and the double-crested cormorant.{{citation needed|date=September 2024}}