The lack of surface water limits its flora to thorny shrubs, small trees, weeds and various cacti, including the endangered higo chumbo (Harrisia portoricensis).

Christopher Columbus was the first European to visit the island during his second voyage to the New World; however, it was not named until 1517 by Spanish explorer Nuñez Alvarez de Aragón.

[4] On May 12, 2022, 11 Haitian migrants died, 31 were rescued and others were feared missing, near Desecheo Island after their boat capsized on its way to Puerto Rico, from Haiti.

[13][14] Since 2018 social attraction equipment has been installed to augment bridled tern and brown noddy colonies and establish a species of conservation concern, the Audubon's shearwater.

[15] Because of a healthy reef and clear waters, with common visibility ranging from 98 to 148 feet (30 to 45 m), Desecheo is a very popular place for diving enthusiasts.

As a separately administered area, under amateur radio rules Desecheo is considered a distinct "entity" for DXCC award purposes.

Several DXpeditions have gone to the island, which has the ITU prefix KP5 (although since there is no permanent mailing address there the Federal Communications Commission does not actually grant this callsign).