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Costa Rica: Protecting the Rainforest Wildlife

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Costa Rica Rainforest

Costa Rica is not much larger in area than the two small states of New Hampshire and Vermont put together. But small as this country is, Costa Rica has more kinds of wildlife than all of the United States and Europe combined!

The Costa Rican government is arguably the greenest in the world and has gone to great lengths to preserve the country's precious rainforests, while making them accessible to tourists at the same time.

La Selva Biological Station

Set up for ecotourism

An example of how Costa Rica has been able to both preserve and capitalize on its rainforest wildlife is La Selva Biological Station. Though the name sounds like it's just for visiting professors from prestigious universities, it is actually set up for ecotourism, and "normal people" are welcome, too.

The all-inclusive visitor center includes everything from an academic center to a dining hall and even several types of overnight accommodation. But that's not why you visit La Selva - it's the wildlife that's the draw. The region is on the Caribbean side of the country at the confluence of two major rivers, the Sarapiqui and the Puerto Viejo. It's a wildlife wonderland, with over 100 species of mammals, 500 different birds and 90 types of reptiles.

Corcovado

National Park on the Osa Peninsula

As impressive as La Selva Biological Station is, Corcovado National Park, on the Osa Peninsula on the southwestern coast of Costa Rica is said to take first prize as the most richly biodiverse region of the world. This is the largest tropical lowland rainforest in the world. Amongst its lush lagoons, mangrove swamps, forests, and joljillo palm groves dwell an enormous range of wildlife species.

Just a couple of the 140 mammals that call Corcovado home are the the Tapir and the Squirrel Monkey. In the air, there are over 400 bird species, including the stunning Scarlet Macaw, and the largest bird of prey in the world - the Harpy Eagle. The most famous amphibian in this park is the Red-Eyed Tree Frog.

Visitors are encouraged to take to the well-marked paths, that wind through the dense foliage - the forest has over 500 tree species alone! If you want to spend a day at the beach you will never forget, get a guide to take you through the rainforest of Corcovado. Along the way, you may see exotic and dangerous animals like a puma, or crocodile. Then, when you get to the beach, you will get to share it with the four species of sea turtles that dwell on this pristine length of protected coastline.

Protecting the wildlife

Protect its incredible rainforest biodiversity

In the early 1970s, the Costa Rican government realized that unless it did something to protect its incredible rainforest biodiversity, it would be lost within a matter of decades. Instead of forming advisory committees to study the matter endlessly, the government acted. La Selva Biological Station and Corcovado National Park are just two of the 32 National Parks, 13 Forest Reserves, 51 Wildlife refuges and 8 biological reserves in this tiny nation.

Thankfully, Costa Ricans are more interested in protecting and sharing their incredible wildlife, than chopping down the forests and hunting the animals. That's a blessing to the wildlife and to the world, and when you take a trip to Costa Rica, you're sure to agree.

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  • VillaDejaBlue Jan 1, 2012 @ 10:44 pm | delete
    Nice lens
  • Timelapselove Oct 21, 2011 @ 5:17 pm | delete
    People preserve what they love. Nice lens.
  • Abbygail S. Jan 26, 2011 @ 12:50 am | delete
    I'm glad that the Costa Rican Government gave importance to preserving this wonderful places. I think that there's nothing more refreshing than a trek into a well preserved rainforest - it's awesome!
  • Abbygail S. Jan 23, 2011 @ 10:29 am | delete
    Costa Rica can definitely present nature's raw beaut! A vacation should prove not just a time away from all our routine but also exhilarating and refreshing! 8-)
  • Joy Supena Jan 10, 2011 @ 10:30 am | delete
    Did Indiana Jones go to Costa Rica? Coz if he did, I don't think he'd want leave. 8-)
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Photo credits

Flickr:
Toucan - Moucha
White-faced Spider Monkeys - tostie14
Scarlet Macaw in Corcovado National Park - Christian Haugen
Costa Rica rainforest - HBarrison

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