he had murdered a 9-year-old girl. Sentenced to 16 years in an Ecuadorian prison, Camargo was killed by a fellow inmate in 1989. The penal colony was closed on 25 June 1984 during the presidency of Belisario Betancur, and the last prisoners were transferred to the mainland. The former jail buildings now have been covered by dense vegetation, but a portion can still be seen. National park The island was established as Gorgona Natural National Park in 1984, in order to preserve its endemic species, the richly varied wildlife of the tropical forest and the coral reefs offshore. The park covers a total maritime area of . Gorgona has no permanent population, except staff involved in the administration and preservation of the National Park. The island has been developed as an ecotourism center with lodgings and a restaurant. Visitors need previous permission to come to the island. Gorgona can host around 80 visitors at one given time. Camping is not allowed, and the only housing available is the one provided by the park administration in El Poblado, the only settlement area of the island. It is a very quiet place, built facing the ocean. Each group is assigned one guide upon arrival to accompany the tourists wherever the group wishes to go. Since Gorgona is a tropical environment known for its venomous snakes, visitors are not allowed to set foot anywhere unaccompanied and not wearing boots, except for the beach in front of the rooms. Geography The island of Gorgona has total area of 26 km2. It is located 35 km from the continent in front of the Department of Cauca, separated by a 270 m deep depression. Southwest of Gorgona, there is another much smaller island called Gorgonilla. Gorgonilla has an area of 48.99 hectares. Gorgona and Gorgonilla are separated by the Tasca strait, which is 400 m long. Before an earthquake on 31 March 1983, it was possible to cross from Gorgona to Gorgonilla by foot during low tide. Several rock islets are found southwest of Gorgonilla, of which the largest is called "El Viudo" (the Widower). There are other rock islets located at the northern tip of Gorgona called Rocas del Horno (Oven Rocks). They are separated from Gorgona by Bocas de Horno (Oven mouths). These rocks rise up almost vertically out of the ocean. The terrain of Gorgona is mountainous with the highest peak, Cerro La