Costa Rica: Volcanoes, Ecological & Biological Riches
Our travel in Costa Rica was all about Nature! What is more awe-inspiring than geysers shooting out of volcanoes, identifying constellations (were they upside down?) in the starriest nights in memory, a Pacific moonrise, or walking in a cloud forest enshrouded in fog? Check out some sights we saw.
Volcán Poás National Park
Poás Volcano
The visibility was perfect when we visited Poás Volcano in the country's central highlands on a bright sunny day. I talked to a local (tico) who said he'd been thrice but saw nothing because of constant cloud cover!
At about a mile across, Poás has the world's largest active caldera (crater) with a bubbling blue-green lake at the bottom surrounded by smoke and steam rising
through vents from which volcanic gases escape. Water
from the lake seeps through cracks in the hot rock, evaporating and building steam; when the steam breaks through, geysers shoot up to 500 feet and more! Poás ejects ash, however, not red-hot molten lava like Kīlauea Volcano on Hawaii's Big Island.
Volcán Arenal: Currently "Resting"
Arenal Volcano
Costa Rica's most active volcano (the currently resting Arenal) is located in La Fortuna district of Alajuela province. In 1968, after nearly 400 years of lying dormant, an eruption killed 87 people and buried three
villages. Almost daily eruptions of smoke and ash were constant until 2010. Arenal spews out black volcanic rock, not red molten lava.
The Arenal Park protects the Arenal Volcano and begins near Costa Rica's largest landlocked body of water, the impressive man-made Lake Arenal. The vegetation in the park was completely destroyed when the volcano erupted. The dense forest that currently exists dates back to only 45 years! It is a secondary forest; that is, it was impacted by volcanic or human activity.
Sky Walk, Hanging Bridges, Cable Car - Arenal Park
Hanging Bridge
The Sky Walk is a 3-4 mile trail system running through Arenal Park's rain forest and includes hanging (suspension) bridges and waterfalls. The bridges sway precariously in the wind and with the weight of the people crossing - but the view from the middle is hard to beat. They are suspended over deep ravines, so deep you can't see the river or forest floor underneath - just a dense tangle of vegetation. (Less scary - but worth the view - was the cable car ride over the tree canopy).
The combination of cloud and rain forests in the park provide habitat for many animals, including endangered ones. Anteaters, sloth, jaguars, pumas, deer, howler monkeys, and 200 species of birds inhabit the park. On the morning walk, our guide warned us about 22 kinds of poisonous snakes, including vipers! Our afternoon guide pointed out two sloths hanging from trees - they looked like dark shapeless lumps! We also saw jays, macaws, toucans, and the ubiquitous monkeys!
Cloud Forests & Epiphytes
Cloud Forests are highland forests blanketed in cool fog that require 100 percent humidity to thrive. Precipitation comes from surrounding clouds - this high degree of moisture encourages plant growth. On a nocturnal nature walk, our guide called it "horizontal rain!" As in Peru and because of their altitude, cloud forests are cool with temperatures in the low 60s in the day and 50s at night.
Example of Epiphyte
Cloud forests have old gnarled trees draped in mosses, ferns, and Epiphytes. The roots of the latter can strangle and topple large trees used as "hosts" and we saw the damage they caused. Epiphytes produce their own energy from photosynthesis and obtain moisture and nutrients from the air. They also grow in the rain forest and temperate zones.
Catarata de la Paz - La Paz Waterfalls
La Paz Waterfalls Video
The spectacular La Paz Waterfalls are located on the slopes of the Poás Volcano within a 40-acre wildlife preserve. The platforms along the trail allow visitors to see the falls from above, below, and center while being misted by the spray.
Again, the park's altitude allows both cloud and rain forest to coexist making the area richly biodiverse. We visited the world's largest butterfly observatory, a hummingbird garden, frog and bird enclosures, and another enclosure with rescued big cats (jaguars, pumas, ocelots), all native to the region.
Costa Rica: Volcanoes, Ecological & Biological Riches
Our travel in Costa Rica was all about Nature! What is more awe-inspiring than geysers shooting out of volcanoes, identifying constellations (were they upside down?) in the starriest nights in memory, a Pacific moonrise, or walking in a cloud forest enshrouded in fog? Check out some sights we saw.
Volcán Poás National Park
Our travel in Costa Rica was all about Nature! What is more awe-inspiring than geysers shooting out of volcanoes, identifying constellations (were they upside down?) in the starriest nights in memory, a Pacific moonrise, or walking in a cloud forest enshrouded in fog? Check out some sights we saw.
Volcán Poás National Park
 |
| Poás Volcano |
At about a mile across, Poás has the world's largest active caldera (crater) with a bubbling blue-green lake at the bottom surrounded by smoke and steam rising
through vents from which volcanic gases escape. Water
from the lake seeps through cracks in the hot rock, evaporating and building steam; when the steam breaks through, geysers shoot up to 500 feet and more! Poás ejects ash, however, not red-hot molten lava like Kīlauea Volcano on Hawaii's Big Island.
Volcán Arenal: Currently "Resting"
 |
| Arenal Volcano |
villages. Almost daily eruptions of smoke and ash were constant until 2010. Arenal spews out black volcanic rock, not red molten lava.
The Arenal Park protects the Arenal Volcano and begins near Costa Rica's largest landlocked body of water, the impressive man-made Lake Arenal. The vegetation in the park was completely destroyed when the volcano erupted. The dense forest that currently exists dates back to only 45 years! It is a secondary forest; that is, it was impacted by volcanic or human activity.
Sky Walk, Hanging Bridges, Cable Car - Arenal Park
The Sky Walk is a 3-4 mile trail system running through Arenal Park's rain forest and includes hanging (suspension) bridges and waterfalls. The bridges sway precariously in the wind and with the weight of the people crossing - but the view from the middle is hard to beat. They are suspended over deep ravines, so deep you can't see the river or forest floor underneath - just a dense tangle of vegetation. (Less scary - but worth the view - was the cable car ride over the tree canopy).
The combination of cloud and rain forests in the park provide habitat for many animals, including endangered ones. Anteaters, sloth, jaguars, pumas, deer, howler monkeys, and 200 species of birds inhabit the park. On the morning walk, our guide warned us about 22 kinds of poisonous snakes, including vipers! Our afternoon guide pointed out two sloths hanging from trees - they looked like dark shapeless lumps! We also saw jays, macaws, toucans, and the ubiquitous monkeys!
 |
| Hanging Bridge |
The Sky Walk is a 3-4 mile trail system running through Arenal Park's rain forest and includes hanging (suspension) bridges and waterfalls. The bridges sway precariously in the wind and with the weight of the people crossing - but the view from the middle is hard to beat. They are suspended over deep ravines, so deep you can't see the river or forest floor underneath - just a dense tangle of vegetation. (Less scary - but worth the view - was the cable car ride over the tree canopy).
The combination of cloud and rain forests in the park provide habitat for many animals, including endangered ones. Anteaters, sloth, jaguars, pumas, deer, howler monkeys, and 200 species of birds inhabit the park. On the morning walk, our guide warned us about 22 kinds of poisonous snakes, including vipers! Our afternoon guide pointed out two sloths hanging from trees - they looked like dark shapeless lumps! We also saw jays, macaws, toucans, and the ubiquitous monkeys!
Cloud Forests & Epiphytes
Cloud Forests are highland forests blanketed in cool fog that require 100 percent humidity to thrive. Precipitation comes from surrounding clouds - this high degree of moisture encourages plant growth. On a nocturnal nature walk, our guide called it "horizontal rain!" As in Peru and because of their altitude, cloud forests are cool with temperatures in the low 60s in the day and 50s at night.
 |
| Example of Epiphyte |
Catarata de la Paz - La Paz Waterfalls
 |
| La Paz Waterfalls Video |
Again, the park's altitude allows both cloud and rain forest to coexist making the area richly biodiverse. We visited the world's largest butterfly observatory, a hummingbird garden, frog and bird enclosures, and another enclosure with rescued big cats (jaguars, pumas, ocelots), all native to the region.
La Paz Sanctuary: Frogs, Morpho Butterflies, Toucans
Although Costa Rica"s biodiversity is among the world's richest and most protected, a number of species are at risk and some are extinct. Not on the endangered list, thankfully, is the Red-Eyed Leaf (Tree) Frog at the La Paz Sanctuary. Known as the "mascot of the rain forest," it is green with orange feet and red eyes; the belly is cream, and the sides are yellow and blue - this brilliant camouflage helps the frogs escape predators.
Red-Eyed Leaf (Tree) Frog
Morpho Butterfly
Pair of Macaws
Toucan
We also saw Morpho Butterflies which have a life cycle of four weeks. They are usually a bright blue on the outside and brown on the inside of the wings which have ornamental "eye spots!" When not flying, morphos fold their wings, revealing only brown and black colours which work as camouflage.
In the wild, Macaws (the largest parrot species) can live up to 80 years. They help promote forest growth by dropping seeds on the ground. Toucans - famous for their large and colourful bills (beaks) - inhabit the canopy layer of the rain forest, where they build nests and protect their young from forest-floor predators.
Wetlands - Palo Verde Park, Tempisque River
Crocodile Entering Tempisque River Video
The Palo Verde Park shelters several endangered species in the marshlands and creeks of the Tempisque River Basin. We took a boat ride and were amazed to see Crocodiles sunbathing and entering the water. We also saw White-Faced Capuchin Monkeys, Bats, Herons, and Wild Lizards.
Iguanas: Prehistoric Reptilian Vibe?
Iguana Going Walkabout! Video
Brown Iguanas are everywhere in Costa Rica. Relatively tame ones seem to hang around hotel gardens, bask in the sun and ignore people. There are other more active ones that wander around - much to the delight or dismay of startled tourists! Besides exuding a rather prehistoric reptilian vibe, we were told that iguanas are herbivorous - and usually harmless.
Wild Lizard, Tempisque River
Not all Wild Lizards are herbivorous such as those on the Tempisque River that attack birds. When they are born, some species eat insects.
We were told that the young ones then learn to digest indigestible fibrous plants after ingesting an enzyme from the faeces of their parents! (Fun fact or gross fact?)
High School Science & Geography!
Costa Rica brings one face to face with high school botany, zoology, and geography. It is a very creative way to educate oneself about flora and fauna - and a great place to bring kids! I asked our guides about their academic background. One had been trained in the Management of Natural Habitat; the second had a Business degree in Eco-Tourism!
Ludi Joseph
San Jose, Costa Rica, Feb. 25, 2015
Text, Photos, Videos from my iPad
La Paz Sanctuary: Frogs, Morpho Butterflies, Toucans
Although Costa Rica"s biodiversity is among the world's richest and most protected, a number of species are at risk and some are extinct. Not on the endangered list, thankfully, is the Red-Eyed Leaf (Tree) Frog at the La Paz Sanctuary. Known as the "mascot of the rain forest," it is green with orange feet and red eyes; the belly is cream, and the sides are yellow and blue - this brilliant camouflage helps the frogs escape predators.
 |
| Red-Eyed Leaf (Tree) Frog |
 |
| Morpho Butterfly |
 |
| Pair of Macaws |
 |
| Toucan |
We also saw Morpho Butterflies which have a life cycle of four weeks. They are usually a bright blue on the outside and brown on the inside of the wings which have ornamental "eye spots!" When not flying, morphos fold their wings, revealing only brown and black colours which work as camouflage.
In the wild, Macaws (the largest parrot species) can live up to 80 years. They help promote forest growth by dropping seeds on the ground. Toucans - famous for their large and colourful bills (beaks) - inhabit the canopy layer of the rain forest, where they build nests and protect their young from forest-floor predators.
Wetlands - Palo Verde Park, Tempisque River
 |
| Crocodile Entering Tempisque River Video |
The Palo Verde Park shelters several endangered species in the marshlands and creeks of the Tempisque River Basin. We took a boat ride and were amazed to see Crocodiles sunbathing and entering the water. We also saw White-Faced Capuchin Monkeys, Bats, Herons, and Wild Lizards.Iguanas: Prehistoric Reptilian Vibe?
 |
| Iguana Going Walkabout! Video |
 |
| Wild Lizard, Tempisque River |
We were told that the young ones then learn to digest indigestible fibrous plants after ingesting an enzyme from the faeces of their parents! (Fun fact or gross fact?)
High School Science & Geography!
Costa Rica brings one face to face with high school botany, zoology, and geography. It is a very creative way to educate oneself about flora and fauna - and a great place to bring kids! I asked our guides about their academic background. One had been trained in the Management of Natural Habitat; the second had a Business degree in Eco-Tourism!
Ludi Joseph
San Jose, Costa Rica, Feb. 25, 2015
Text, Photos, Videos from my iPad
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