Rancho Los Inocentes, Costa Rica
Our second full day in Costa Rica was spent exploring the pre-montane and riverine habitats found on Ranch Los Inocentes. Located on the slopes of the Orosi Volcano, Ranch Los Inocentes is now a “mere” several thousand acre ranch, but was once part of much larger Hacienda bequeathed to the Barrios family by the King of Spain. This former Colonial-era Hacienda actually covered most of current day southern Nicaragua and north-western Costa Rica. We were able to explore on foot, on a tractor-pulled cart and on horseback. The wildlife sighting and weather could not have been better, three species of monkey were seen – spider monkey, white-throated Capuchin monkey and mantled howler monkey – plus so much more. Parrots, toucans, aracaris, oropendulas, long-tailed manakins, and the list goes on.
Our morning on the ranch concluded with a delightful ‘sabanero” barbeque lunch on the verandah of the ranch house looking out to the volcano. Each group of explorers compared their lists of wildlife sightings with each other over lunch. We then drove back to the boat and began sailing south ahead of a bank of dark ominous clouds.
This afternoon David presented a lecture on the Geology of Central America, focused on the region of Costa Rica and Nicaragua that we have visited these past few days. Our day concluded with a delicious dinner as we continued south, new adventures ahead in the area of Curu tomorrow.
Our second full day in Costa Rica was spent exploring the pre-montane and riverine habitats found on Ranch Los Inocentes. Located on the slopes of the Orosi Volcano, Ranch Los Inocentes is now a “mere” several thousand acre ranch, but was once part of much larger Hacienda bequeathed to the Barrios family by the King of Spain. This former Colonial-era Hacienda actually covered most of current day southern Nicaragua and north-western Costa Rica. We were able to explore on foot, on a tractor-pulled cart and on horseback. The wildlife sighting and weather could not have been better, three species of monkey were seen – spider monkey, white-throated Capuchin monkey and mantled howler monkey – plus so much more. Parrots, toucans, aracaris, oropendulas, long-tailed manakins, and the list goes on.
Our morning on the ranch concluded with a delightful ‘sabanero” barbeque lunch on the verandah of the ranch house looking out to the volcano. Each group of explorers compared their lists of wildlife sightings with each other over lunch. We then drove back to the boat and began sailing south ahead of a bank of dark ominous clouds.
This afternoon David presented a lecture on the Geology of Central America, focused on the region of Costa Rica and Nicaragua that we have visited these past few days. Our day concluded with a delicious dinner as we continued south, new adventures ahead in the area of Curu tomorrow.
