However, looking for species with medicinal properties — or bioprospecting — can be challenging for a developing country. Issues of who owns the intellectual property for such discoveries and how the benefits derived from them should be shared are unresolved in many parts of the world.

Despite the medicinal promise Coiba holds, much depends on how well the island's ecosystem is managed.

Although Coiba was declared a national park in 1991, it remains threatened by fishing and agricultural waste. Scientists need to persuade the government of the island's potential to ensure that its resources are properly managed, says Butler.