Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Thoughts on Costa Rica

Naturalist Assistant and our 2008 Student Volunteer of the Year, Sean Waitkus, shares more details on the this summer's NA trip to Costa Rica.

Our Itinerary: Day 1 – San Jose; Days 2 & 3– Tortuguero; Day 4 – Sarapiqui; Days 5 & 6 – Arenal Region/La Fortuna; Day 7 – Monteverde; Days 8 & 9– Guanacaste

“Biodiversity levels were massive; looking out a window you’d see more wildlife than you’d see during a week-long trek in Ohio”

Species seen: marine toad, dink frog, gladiator frog, glass frog, blue-jean frog/strawberry poison-dart frog, spectacled caiman, American crocodile, central American coral snake, emerald basilisk, house gecko, green iguana, ctenosaur, ground anole, slender anole, barred whiptail, central American whiptail, magnificent frigate bird, olivaceous cormorant, roseate spoonbill, boat-billed heron, snowy egret, tricolored heron, tiger heron, green heron, rufescent tiger heron, Muscovy duck, turkey vulture, black vulture, crested caracara, black hawk, black and white owl, kingfisher, keel-billed toucan, clay-colored robin, montezuma’s orpendola, boat-tailed grackle/great-tailed grackle, scarlet rumped tanager, blue-gray tanager, opossum (unknown kind), central american spider monkey, mantled howler monkey, nine-banded armadillo, three-toed sloth, variegated squirrel, white-tailed deer, scarlet macaw, blue-and-yellow macaw, military macaw, feral domestic cat, feral domestic dog.

“Life is much simpler there. They have a fraction of our resources yet they seem much happier and more content.”

“The people were very kind and peaceful. Granted, we primarily traveled to popular tourist locations. However, we saw a major difference I general mood as we left the city of San Jose and moved into the surrounding country.”

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