Reading List

The Cayos Cochinos Archipelago Natural Marine Monument Law	The text of the Cayos Cochinos Archipelago Natural Marine Monument Law. (In Spanish)
Regulations of the Cayos Cochinos Archipelago Natural Marine Monument Law	This is the text of the regulations of the Cayos Cochinos Archipelago Natural Marine Monument Law. (In Spanish)
Cayos Cochinos Management Plan 2008-2012	available in Spanish will give you the necessary information about the Cayos Cochinos protected area.
Coral Reef in Honduras: Status after Huricane Mitch by United State Geological Survey	The USGS after Huricane Mitch conduct a study in Cayos Cochinos to determinate damage from Mitch.
The Blue Planet: A Natural History of the Oceans by David Attenborough et al.	From the hugely successful BBC TV, The Blue Planet tells the story of life in the oceans, upon which we all ultimately depend. From the tropics to the poles, from the shores to the deeps, the waters of the planet teem with an amazing diversity of creatures and plants and a wonderful sample of it is portrayed here in the book's 400 or so colour photos. Also available as VHS video or DVD. 384 pages. Hardbound.
The Diversity of Life by Edward O Wilson	An inspiring work by this eminent scientist and conservationist, Wilson traces the processes that create new species in bursts of adaptive radiation, and identifies the five major extinctions of the last 600 million years. Each cataclysmic event, caused by a meteorite strike or climatic change, required 10-100 million years of evolutionary repair. The lessons are clear - the sixth major extinction, caused this time entirely by man - could ultimately be the greatest of them all. Drawing on evidence and examples from around the world, the author argues forcibly that the conflicting forces of economic development and natural preservation must be reconciled if the world's biological diversity is to be saved. A great book. From the text: "Consider this: Of the estimated 10 million species of plants and animals alive in the world's rain forests, a minimum of 27,000 go extinct each year; 74 each day; 3 each hour". "Edward Wilson is today's towering figure in American biological literature. Not since Darwin has an author so lifted the science of ecology with insight and delightful imagery." Richard Dawkins. New edition includes an extensive new forward by the author. 406 pages, b/w illus, figs. Penguin paperback
Last Chance to See by Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine	Now available on CD-ROM. A book full of tragi-comic overtones, this is an account of five expeditions to various parts of the world to search for rare and endangered species, such as the aye-aye, the kakapo and the Yangtse River dolphin. Carwardine is an experienced zoologist, but the late Douglas Adams is better known as the bestselling author of A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Light-hearted and amusing book on what conservation expeditions can be like. Easy read making a serious point.  224 pages, col illus. Pan.
Guide to Marine Mammals of the World by Randall R. Reeves	Published by the National Audubon Society, this is one of the latest and best identification guides to whales and dolphins, likely to be often cited as a scientific reference. Contains more than five hundred full-colour illustrations, paintings, and maps capture 120 species of whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, and sea lions, accompanied by detailed information on each species: anatomy, life cycle, behaviour, habitat, migratory routes, feeding habits, social organization, and identification. 528 pages. Paperback
Marine - Terrestrial Flora and Fauna of Cayos Cochinos by Hector Guzman	Published on the Tropical Biology supplement 4. Provide general information about the species that are present on the Archipelago. Includes geology, water quality, fisheries, reef species, flora, birds, mammals and herpetology.
Manual of methods for the mbrs synoptic monitoring program selected methods for monitoring physical and biological parameters for use in the Mesoamerican region. A Mesoamerican barrier reef systems project (mbrs)	You can find this document in pdf format at the MBRS Homepage. This manual explains the methodology that you will use at Cayos Cochinos for the monitoring programs.
Marine and Coastal Protected Areas. A Guide for Planners and Managers. Third Edition. by Rodney V.	This book is addressed mainly to conservation of the natural resources of tropical coasts and seas.Introduce Marine protected areas as an important approach to managing coastal and marine resources. Also considers principles and mechanism for planning and managing protected areas in four different environments: Coral reef, estuaries and lagoons, Small Island and beaches.
Caribbean Coral Reef, Sea grass and Mangrove Sites. Edited by Bjorn Kjerfve. UNESCO	This document describes the state of coastal habitat where institutions, parks, reserves, have implemented synchronized environmental monitoring. This document represents a snapshot of the state of coastal ecosystem in the wider Caribbean region from Yucatan to Barbados and from Bermuda to the Caribbean coast of Colombia and Venezuela.
Reef Coral Identification: Florida Caribbean Bahamas Including Marine Plants by Paul Humann, Ned Deloach	This is the 3rd volume in the "Reef Set", Paul Humman`s incredible books on Caribbean marine life. Actually, this was the first volume I bought of them, so I now learned to know how these books were. I later received Reef Fish ID for Christmas. But this one is very beautiful too. It includes almost every coral that is likely to be encountered while diving in the Caribbean. The photos are also quite good for being an identification book. Commonly, really striking views of animals only come in art books like "Coral Seas" or "The Maldives" but these pictures are of almost the same quality. The Indo-Pacific corals are often very colourful, but the Caribbean are more famous for their artistic shapes and forms (some of them looks like trees in the winter). It is not badder than the previous volumes, because this one takes up other animals. All three books are like one big book, because all of them covers different kinds of animals. So my rate of the entire reef set, including this one, is 10 out of 10 or 5 out of 5!If you do own the other volumes, do buy this one. No divers, fishwatchers or ichthyologists library is complete without these books. A must-have!