Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica
Oh my gosh! … these are the best words to describe what we experienced on the very first day of our trip through the wonders of Costa Rica and Panama. A colorful sunrise caught us just arriving to one of the most well known national parks that Costa Rica has: Manuel Antonio.
It is located on the central region of the pacific shoreline, acting as a meeting place for the flora and fauna from the northern dry forest and the southern rain forest. Such different ecosystems allowed plants and animals to blend their most interesting features. For example tall straight tree trunks are typically from a rainforest, while short stubby trunks with fairly low branches are usually found in a dry forest.
Despite the amazing blend of flora, the park is better known for its abundance of wildlife. The first close encounter with it was a visit from a white-faced capuchin monkey, who decided to have breakfast just above our heads. These monkeys are very intelligent, agile and curious, so much that their troops have become a gang, scanning the abandoned backpacks and picnic baskets for food. Capuchin monkeys are omnivorous, so anything and everything is good food.
After splitting in to the different walks, some of the guests decide to take the well-named Sloth Valley Trail, in which we spot the two different species of sloths found in Costa Rica. The first one was a two-toed sloth easy recognizable by its longer, blondish fur and bigger size. Later on during the walk we saw a three-toed Sloth, which is rather smaller with short, greenish hair (yes you read correctly, greenish hair), acquired by an algae that grows on its fur. Sloths are spoiled creations of Mother Nature: they are 99% tree dwellers, and go to the bathroom once a week - the only thing they don’t accomplish hanging from the trees.
But more than sloths and capuchin monkeys we saw howler monkeys, raccoons, coatis, iguanas, lizards and even an albino agouti (small rodent). All this happened just during our morning outing. We still have left the rest of the afternoon, which we spend navigating to the southern part of the country, in search of marine wildlife. Some pantropical spotted dolphins joined us elusively at certain moments.
And as if we have not had enough, an astonishing sunset like a painter’s palette, closed our first exploration day, leaving us fully charged with great energy for tomorrow’s adventure.
Oh my gosh! … these are the best words to describe what we experienced on the very first day of our trip through the wonders of Costa Rica and Panama. A colorful sunrise caught us just arriving to one of the most well known national parks that Costa Rica has: Manuel Antonio.
It is located on the central region of the pacific shoreline, acting as a meeting place for the flora and fauna from the northern dry forest and the southern rain forest. Such different ecosystems allowed plants and animals to blend their most interesting features. For example tall straight tree trunks are typically from a rainforest, while short stubby trunks with fairly low branches are usually found in a dry forest.
Despite the amazing blend of flora, the park is better known for its abundance of wildlife. The first close encounter with it was a visit from a white-faced capuchin monkey, who decided to have breakfast just above our heads. These monkeys are very intelligent, agile and curious, so much that their troops have become a gang, scanning the abandoned backpacks and picnic baskets for food. Capuchin monkeys are omnivorous, so anything and everything is good food.
After splitting in to the different walks, some of the guests decide to take the well-named Sloth Valley Trail, in which we spot the two different species of sloths found in Costa Rica. The first one was a two-toed sloth easy recognizable by its longer, blondish fur and bigger size. Later on during the walk we saw a three-toed Sloth, which is rather smaller with short, greenish hair (yes you read correctly, greenish hair), acquired by an algae that grows on its fur. Sloths are spoiled creations of Mother Nature: they are 99% tree dwellers, and go to the bathroom once a week - the only thing they don’t accomplish hanging from the trees.
But more than sloths and capuchin monkeys we saw howler monkeys, raccoons, coatis, iguanas, lizards and even an albino agouti (small rodent). All this happened just during our morning outing. We still have left the rest of the afternoon, which we spend navigating to the southern part of the country, in search of marine wildlife. Some pantropical spotted dolphins joined us elusively at certain moments.
And as if we have not had enough, an astonishing sunset like a painter’s palette, closed our first exploration day, leaving us fully charged with great energy for tomorrow’s adventure.
