Want to see a monkey in its natural habitat? Spot a tiny brightly colored poison dart frog along a trail? Stand beneath a giant tropical tree loaded with epiphytes? See a big blue butterfly too beautiful to believe? Would you like to observe toucans, quetzals, and scarlet macaws? How about a crocodile basking on the riverbank or a dolphin arching from the sea? Do all this and more in Costa Rica.
The chance for a close encounter of the natural kind with the tropical biodiversity found in this small, friendly country lures tends of thousands of visitors each year. And they must like what they find because many return again and again to explore the varied habitats: rain forest, dry forest, cloud forest, oak forest, high-mountain paramo, and wetland, mangrove, and other aquatic habitats.
What is out there? More than 850 species of birds, 209 mammal species, 13,000 plant species (including 1,500 trees and 1,400 orchids), 220 species of reptiles, and 163 species of amphibians. As for the usually diminutive world of arthropods - creatures with segmented bodies and jointed limbs, such as insects, spiders and crabs -- look out: more than 365,000 weird and wonderful species have been identified so far.
Many of the habitats where all this life flourishes are under protective status, with about 16 percent of the country in more than 30 national parks, wildlife refuges, and biological reserves that are open to the public. Another 11 percent is in forest reserves, Indian reserves, and protected zones.
In addition, individuals have established reserves for conservation purposes. So, there are protected habitats, more than half a million known species doing their thing in the ecosystems, and tens of thousands of human visitors who hope to watch them doing it.
For an excellent introduction to tropical ecosystems, walk with a naturalist guide in one of the public or private reserves. The guide knows where to look for the miniature orchid, the scarlet macaws, the three - toed sloth. He or she not only points out species but explains fascinating relationships among them.
Butterflies can brighten any day. Enjoy them in the wild, learn more about them at butterfly gardens located around the country. Botanical gardens, aviaries, and snake exhibits offer other learning options.
Canopy tours give travelers a chance to see the upper level of the forest where life is unbelievably abundant. There's a tour for everyone. Some hoist you up to a platform, with little effort on your part, where you can observe flora and fauna at leisure. Others require hoisting yourself up. You can ride in a cablecar or walk along bridges through the treetops.
Both Caribbean and Pacific coasts offer snorkeling, diving, and surfing. Take to a kayak to enjoy both sea and coastline or to explore one of the country's beautiful rivers. White-water raft tours range from day trips to two - or - three remote lodges not accessible by road. Windsurfers head of Lake Arenal.
Costa Rica is a remarkable destination for natural history travelers.
SLOW-MOVING STORM: The typhoon has started moving north, but at a very slow pace, adding uncertainty to the extent of its impact on the nation Work and classes have been canceled across the nation today because of Typhoon Krathon, with residents in the south advised to brace for winds that could reach force 17 on the Beaufort scale as the Central Weather Administration (CWA) forecast that the storm would make landfall there. Force 17 wind with speeds of 56.1 to 61.2 meters per second, the highest number on the Beaufort scale, rarely occur and could cause serious damage. Krathon could be the second typhoon to land in southwestern Taiwan, following typhoon Elsie in 1996, CWA records showed. As of 8pm yesterday, the typhoon’s center was 180km
STILL DANGEROUS: The typhoon was expected to weaken, but it would still maintain its structure, with high winds and heavy rain, the weather agency said One person had died amid heavy winds and rain brought by Typhoon Krathon, while 70 were injured and two people were unaccounted for, the Central Emergency Operation Center said yesterday, while work and classes have been canceled nationwide today for the second day. The Hualien County Fire Department said that a man in his 70s had fallen to his death at about 11am on Tuesday while trimming a tree at his home in Shoufeng Township (壽豐). Meanwhile, the Yunlin County Fire Department received a report of a person falling into the sea at about 1pm on Tuesday, but had to suspend search-and-rescue
RULES BROKEN: The MAC warned Chinese not to say anything that would be harmful to the autonomous status of Taiwan or undermine its sovereignty A Chinese couple accused of disrupting a pro-democracy event in Taipei organized by Hong Kong residents has been deported, the National Immigration Agency said in a statement yesterday afternoon. A Chinese man, surnamed Yao (姚), and his wife were escorted by immigration officials to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, where they boarded a flight to China before noon yesterday, the agency said. The agency said that it had annulled the couple’s entry permits, citing alleged contraventions of the Regulations Governing the Approval of Entry of People of the Mainland Area into the Taiwan Area (大陸地區人民進入台灣地區許可辦法). The couple applied to visit a family member in
CELEBRATION: The PRC turned 75 on Oct. 1, but the Republic of China is older. The PRC could never be the homeland of the people of the ROC, Lai said The People’s Republic of China (PRC) could not be the “motherland” of the people of the Republic of China (ROC), President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks in a speech at a Double Ten National Day gala in Taipei, which is part of National Day celebrations that are to culminate in a fireworks display in Yunlin County on Thursday night next week. Lai wished the country a happy birthday and called on attendees to enjoy the performances and activities while keeping in mind that the ROC is a sovereign and independent nation. He appealed for everyone to always love their
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