The Bellbird.
A unique member of the Cotinga family is the Three-Wattled Bellbird. Males of these striking birds boast three unique, "worm-like wattles" that dangle from their beaks. Bellbirds have an impressive song that resonates through the forest canopy, audible for over a kilometer! Four distinct Bellbird dialects are found in Central America: one in Nicaragua, another in Panama, and then the Talamanca and Monteverde dialects in Costa Rica. This video captures the "Monteverde" dialect, recorded by our expert Naturalist Guide, Esterling Alfaro. Listen to the "Bonk" followed by several whistles. With a keen eye and a touch of luck, you might glimpse these elusive Bellbirds through the journey in Costa Rica's protected areas.
Immerse yourself in the natural jewels of the South Pacific in Costa Rica! From January to March, you can witness humpback whales at this biodiversity hotspot. With a touch of luck and the expertise of our knowledgeable guides and boat captains, our nature trip yesterday was rewarded with a memorable encounter in the remote Golfo Dulce. Watch nature as our naturalist guide, Jimmy Tosso captured this breathtaking video!
Monkey Around and Celebrate: A Day Dedicated to Our Primate Pals!
Swing into the fun of Monkey Day, an unofficial international holiday held annually on December 14th! This playful day was born in 2000, hope you enjoy the video of a baby howler monkey taken recently in Guanacaste.
We're always thrilled to see a White-faced Monkey scampering through the park trails! These fascinating primates are common residents of Manuel Antonio National Park. It's crucial to remember not to touch or feed the monkeys for their safety and ours. Maintaining a safe distance is the best practice with any wild animal. Our naturalist guide, Marco Fallas, captured this video of a playful encounter on his recent tour.
The American Kingfisher.
The American Pygmy Kingfisher, measuring a mere 13 cm (5 inches) in length and weighing less than 18 grams (0.6 ounces), is the smallest kingfisher in the New World. Its diminutive size is comparable to that of a warbler. These tiny birds favor the tranquil environs of woodland streams and mangrove waterways, where they actively pursue their prey of small fish and aquatic insects. Their distribution encompasses the lowlands on both slopes of Costa Rica, where they can be spotted perched on branches, intently scanning the water below for their next meal. Jose Solera took this video at Pierella Gardens in Sarapiquí lowlands. Enjoy!
Last week, our naturalist guide Marco and local guide Randall, while leading our guests along Corozalito Beach near Punta Islita – found a nest of Olive Ridley turtles on the verge of hatching!! This thrilling event is still part of sea turtle nesting season on Ostional, Camaronal, and Corozalito beaches in Guanacaste province. The emergence of these baby Ridley turtles is a remarkable event, as the females are drawn back to the same beach where they were born, a phenomenon known as geomagnetic imprinting. Studies suggest that sea turtles can detect the Earth's magnetic field, using it as a navigational compass to guide them back to their natal beaches. We sincerely thank Marco Fallas and Jose Solera for sharing this awe-inspiring experience. Their commitment to conservation and passion for sharing these remarkable moments with others is appreciated.
Tango Mar Hotel
Morning has broken like the first morning.
Anteater
Good morning from Isla Chiquita Glamping. Look at the friend that we found on the trails. Video taken by Armando Diaz, one of our top Sales Executives. Enjoy!
This is Pura Vida...
Happy Friday!
This is Pura Vida...
Happy Friday!
Unspoiled Caribbean beach of Costa Rica. Enjoy!
Tapirs at CORCOVADO!
Encompassing a significant area of the Osa Peninsula, Corcovado National Park has earned the distinction from National Geographic as being among Earth's most biologically vibrant places–a well–deserved designation. In ancient times, this extraordinary location existed as an isolated island before gradually merging with the mainland. Serving as a refuge for some of Central America's most remarkable land creatures, including jaguars, pumas, white-lipped peccaries, and the endangered Baird's tapir, Corcovado stands as one of the final havens to catch a glimpse of these majestic animals. Among these, Baird's tapir takes center stage, as the largest land mammal, with the capacity to weigh up to 250 kg. Its diet primarily comprises leaves, stems, and fruits, supplemented by bark and flowers. The richness of this habitat is breathtaking, showcasing nature's intricate balance. We invite you to connect with us if you want to explore this remote wilderness. Corcovado National Park is unequivocally a treasure within the realm of Costa Rican national parks! A recent video captured by our naturalist guide Marco Fallas, some days ago near San Pedrillo Station, offers a glimpse into the park's natural wonders.
Puerto Viejo is a small town on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. It's known for its laid-back atmosphere, beautiful turquoise beaches, and vibrant culture. The town is home to a mix of Afro-Caribbean and indigenous people, and the local cuisine reflects this diversity. Coconut rice, reggaeton beats, and colorful houses are all in abundance in Puerto Viejo.
The spider monkey is highly specialized for an arboreal way of life. It moves rapidly in the canopy using its tail as another “arm” during locomotion, covering distances as much as 5 kilometers daily! The tail is fully prehensile and can support the entire weight of the monkey (up to 8 kilos for the adults!). They loved to feed primarily on fruit and occasionally leaves. They also eat flowers, the bark of certain trees, and even some insects. You will find this species mostly in lowland rainforest; national parks like Corcovado, Tortuguero, or the Arenal Observatory Lodge are great places to look for them. Sadly, this monkey does not survive outside of large tracks of primary forest and is listed as an endangered species. Our naturalist driver Jose Solera was extremely lucky to film this troop of Spiders Monkeys moving along in Arenal and even caught some beautiful jumps!
Happy Friday everyone!
Rain, for sure, is one of the primary triggers that activate different life history events for the animals in the Costa Rican Forest; one is the breeding season of many native birds! These two Long-tailed Manakins males are duetting as part of the courtship to attract females in thick vegetation. Studies in Monteverde showed that during a single 2-hour observation period, one pair of males delivered 1,919 songs! Males repeat these catlike duet songs for days until, finally, one male will copulate with a female. Luckily, Jose Solera and Marco Fallas found these colorful males singing in Guanacaste Province yesterday with one of our “focus on nature groups”. Join us to look for more of these natural wonders!
LEAF CUTTER ANTS
Edward O. Wilson, one of the most famous entomologists on the planet, mentioned in one of his books: "It was the leaf cutter ant, one of the most abundant and visually most striking animals of the New World Tropics." Zompopas, as we call them in Costa Rica, are commonly encountered ants from mid-elevations down to sea level. You will easily recognize them because they usually carry leaves and occasional flowers to the underground colonies. Inside connected by tunnels, is located a system of secret gardens, where the ants cultivate a fungus from which they feed. This fungus is their sole food.
Zompopa colonies can contain from three to four million workers. And biologists believe that they contribute to the nutrient cycling in the rainforests. Workers and soldiers are the ones you usually see walking on the forest floor, but other colony members are hidden in their underground cavities. The most famous is the queen. Wilson said, "Deep inside the nest sits the mother queen, a giant insect the size of a newborn mouse. She can live at least ten years and perhaps as long as twenty." So next time you walk on a forest path or even in the parks in San José, look down, and you may be lucky to find the famous Zompopa ants! Our naturalist driver Jose Solera took this video today in Guanacaste province!
The National Park in San Jose downtown is famous for having an incredible diversity of Costa Rican native trees. These days, if you are looking for a nice photo op of the National Monument, the park's major attraction, look carefully for small trees with elongated white flowers and a very nice sweet fragrance. These trees, known locally as Monkey Guavas, have an incredible natural history related to their flowers! Hawk moths with very long proboscises are their pollinators. The flowers have a strategy to release a pollen mass onto the moth's face when looking for nectar at night. The Monkey Guaba is related to coffee, and its fruits are edible for humans and many animals in the rainforest, including the Spider Monkey. This short video shows the highly specialized mechanism by which Monkey Guaba releases its pollen. If you want to discover more of San Jose trees and their less-known plants' secrets, join us on our walking city tour!
Costa Rica is home to a fantastic diversity of butterflies! With more than 1,500 diurnal butterfly species and probably more than 12,000 species of nocturnal butterflies (or moths)! Interesting that less than ten species have “a common name” used by local Costa Ricans. Many years ago, the first butterfly gardens were opened to teach about conservation, basic biology, and interesting facts about this colorful insect. Nowadays we have butterfly gardens identified throughout the country if you would like to join a tour and be part of the experience. Our naturalist driver, José Solera, took this video. Jose is very much interested in nature, and we love having him drive many of our tours along with our expert guides!
The Arenal Observatory Lodge nature reserve is becoming a landmark for nature watching in Arenal Volcano and Fortuna. With more than 20 km of private trails and extensive gardens, wildlife is abundant and easy to see! Endangered species, due to illegal hunting and loss of habitat, such as the Great Curassow, is a relatively common sighting at the lodge grounds. This chicken-like bird, it's rarely found except in protected parks or very remote areas. They usually forage for fruits, insects, centipedes, and even tree frogs! It’s very low pitch voice is one of the mysterious calls you often hear in the rainforest, similar to the sound obtained by blowing into a bottle! Our guide Jose Ugalde took this video of this female Curassow while walking the grounds near the hotel's swimming pool. You can see the bird is very close and show no fear.
According to Ramsar.org, a Ramsar Site is “an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources”. Here in Costa Rica, we have several Ramsar sites, such as Palo Verde, Terraba Sierpe Mangroves, Isla Del Coco, and Gandoca Manzanillo, to name a few. One of the most beautiful and not very visited is Caño Negro Wetlands National Wildlife Refuge, declared a Ramsar site in 1991. Visiting Caño Negro is one of our naturalist guide Marco Fallas favorite for viewing river and rainforest wildlife! Located two hours away from Arenal Volcano, Caño Negro combine wetlands, and riparian forests host to water birds, iguanas, caimans, crocodiles, monkeys, sloths, river turtles, and many forest bird species.
