WORDS & PHOTOS BY FRED WELING

Over the past few years, Costa Rica has become one of the premier destinations for ecotourism. Visitors love the beauty of its landscapes, the richness of its wildlife, and the friendliness of its people. The foundation of Costa Rica’s success is its geographic location. Close to the equator and next to two colliding tectonic plates, the country has both tropical and sub-tropical climates and several mountain ranges. Costa Rica’s volcanoes are part of the Ring of Fire, a string of volcanoes bordering the Pacific Ocean, with five of them active. Different climates offer habitats for various animal species: Costa Rica has 250+ mammal species, 900+ birds, 200+ reptiles, 210+ amphibians, and thousands of insect species. Despite a small size (about 0.03% of the world’s land surface), Costa Rica is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, with about 5% of the world’s animal and plant species. As a result, ecotourists make up about 80% of all visitors.

WILDLIFE, NATIONAL PARKS, AND ECO-LODGES

Costa Rica has more than a dozen large national parks next to volcanoes, near the Caribbean Sea, or by the Pacific Ocean. Each park is known for its unique flora and fauna.

Manuel Antonio is the most famous park and can be explored on foot. Among a multitude of species, you can observe toucans, sloths, as well as howlers, squirrels, and capuchin monkeys.

Tortuguero National Park is very different, with its main draw being natural river canals that are home to crocodiles and caimans, and are only accessible by boat. Tortuguero is famous because it is one of the most important turtle nesting sites in the world. Every year more than 50,000 tourists come to watch hundreds of thousands of turtle babies leave their nests.

Corcovado National Park is the most remote national park and is home to the largest population of scarlet macaws in the world. It is one of the world’s most biodiverse places, where you can see rare animals such as jaguars, pumas, tapirs, and coatis. In all these parks you can find intriguing — and intimidating — snakes such as the fer-de-lance, yellow eyelash viper, and others, but fatalities are rare. Costa Rica has experienced local guides who can lead visitors through the jungle, which is recommended for novice explorers. In addition to knowledge of the spots regularly visited by wildlife and an ability to point out hidden animals or nests, guides can keep you from losing the trail, advise on weather conditions, and more. The country has a large number of eco-lodges where tourists can stay close to the animal species they want to observe. Walking through the rainforest is arduous and the visual harvest of wildlife is often not bountiful. Eco-lodges facilitate animal encounters by attracting birds or small mammals with natural foods, such as plantains, bananas, or flowers. The animals then develop routines which can be aligned with the preferences of the visitors — the difficulty of which is often underestimated. As an example, placing a carcass in an open field will certainly attract vultures, but they will immediately scatter when photographers approach. It requires patience and time to convince the animals that they will not be in any danger.

ANIMAL CONSERVATION EFFORTS

Two of the main threats to wildlife are disappearing habitats and human activity.

Turtles: Because the green turtle population has dropped significantly since the 1960s, the authorities decided to protect the nesting beaches of Tortuguero. They stopped harmful human behavior (collecting eggs and killing turtles for their meat and shell) through regulation and by providing locals with income possibilities (tagging turtles, becoming the only guides authorized to guide tourists to experience the hatching of baby turtles). For villagers, this replaced a one-time income (harvesting) by a regular income stream (conservation and eco-tourism). Changing human behavior is usually the most difficult challenge of conservation.

Macaws: Similar successful approaches have been taken to save the scarlet macaw. Authorities have outlawed the pet trade, put a stop to deforestation, and even built new nests with the help of former poachers. Researchers installed cameras within a number of macaw nests to learn about breeding patterns and to monitor the birds’ activities, and a campaign to involve the community and media to support the efforts has been considered successful.

GREEN ENERGY

Costa Rica’s tropical climate guarantees an abundance of rain during the wet season from May to December. So, it’s no surprise that hydroelectric power comprises about 65% of the country’s supply. The country also has nine wind farms taking advantage of the trade winds, while geothermal energy takes advantage of the subterranean heat produced by the volcanoes, to make up another 30% of the country’s power. This is an excellent example of a country taking advantage of its geographic assets to produce clean energy.

PURA VIDA – A POSITIVE OUTLOOK ON LIFE

There is no way to accurately describe the mentality of a people, but if there were, the expression “Pura Vida” would characterize the prevailing attitude in Costa Rica. The expression is used as a greeting, a reply that all is well, and an encouragement to focus on the simplest things in life.