With the beginning of the second week came the first time my group had left La Selva. As much as I have enjoyed being at La Selva, it was refreshing to remember that all of Costa Rica is not simply a research station. That being said, we were able to travel to one of the only organic pineapple plantations in the country. The plantation was a great experience that really detailed the difficulty of sustainable farming without the extensive use of chemicals. I definitely gained a greater appreciation of the farmers whose products are considered organic. However, before we arrived at the plantation the bus was driving past a small town and the houses were much different from those in the United States. They seemed smaller with few amenities but then later in the day a guest speaker and anthropologist discussed that Costa Ricans are much happier than Americans based on data. The emphasis on family instead of material goods is so strong in this country that wealth does not seem to factor into happiness like it does in the United States. Back at home, this mentality would be a significant boost to have in a society that seems so unforgiving compared to here.
May 31st was a relaxed day. The group had the privilege of going to visit an organic banana plantation. The host was very kind and was very giving of education on the banana and plantains that she was growing. One of the most interesting things that I learned was that banana “trees” are not trees at all, but just really big plants. After the tour, the host and her family were kind enough to make everyone a meal of a plantain and banana based meal which was so good. My favorite part was a flat piece of fried plantain with refried beans, cheese, and pico de gallo. Our host mentioned that some plantain dishes that are common in Costa Rica actually originate from different groups such as Jamaicans for example that spread their culinary wisdom and those recipes stuck around. This reminded me of the great variety of food that the United States boasts as well.
With the third day of this week came a trip to Tortuguero National Park. In order to get there, first we needed to drive 2 hours on the bus, and then take a boat to the river which goes through the jungle. This river is part of the national park and with it came many new interesting animals. There were many crocodiles, caiman, different species of lizard, and aquatic birds that were extremely interesting to observe. These aquatic birds were especially worthy of consideration because of how they are adapted to dive into the water so efficiently to hunt fish while still keeping their ability to use their wings. After the boat ride, we docked at the island which was really a great experience as well. We learned that the dark sand beach nearby is dark because it is volcanic material. The ocean was beautiful and even more impressive, that beach is used by sea turtles to lay their eggs. This day was the first one of the program where it was possible to be a researcher as well as a true tourist.
June 2nd started off with a finalizations to the project proposal my partner Annetta and I have created. This proposal is to study the effects that temperature may have on howler and capuchin monkeys while considering the differences of those effects between male and female individuals. We hope this project will yield interesting results that can provide information that will be especially crucial in the face of more climate change. Moving onto the afternoon, the group went on a chocolate and bat tour in Tirimbina. The chocolate tour was very interesting and our guide was enthusiastic and engaging. The chocolate was enjoyable even though it personally was not my favorite tasting chocolate I’ve ever had. However, moving onto to the bat tour, we learned about the use of mist nets and how they originally were over used to sell bats and birds on the black market. I think it is a wise choice of the government to outlaw that practice by enforcing regulation on mist net use. The final part of the tour was a live bat showing which I definitely had mixed opinions about. I appreciated the view and I realize I likely will never see another bat that close, but I did not enjoy watching the bats be trapped in cloth bags and then held for everyone to see for so long. When the bats writhed and squealed I thought it was cruel to continue. This was especially true for when one of the bats was held by its wings as it tried to bite its way free. I found some relief when the bats were released, but I can’t say I was completely satisfied with their treatment. Education is important for these bats, but at what point does it begin to go to far? 
Perhaps the most eventful day to this point was June 3rd. We officially left La Selva and headed to the Baldi Hot Springs. I was expecting a small natural looking hot spring, but this place was actually a full resort which was a welcomed surprise. The water was warm of course from the spring, but as higher elevations of the resort were reached, the temperature of the water increased too. At the highest point the water was almost unbearably hot. To add to this experience, it started to downpour which made the hot water feel even better as colder drops fell onto my shoulders. This along with a great lunch truly made this day memorable. As if it wasn’t enough, we then made our way to Rancho Margot which is a sustainable farm. The farm is right beneath the cloud forest which is extremely impressive and makes for great views. I have not yet explored much of the area, but I’m sure that the next days will be full of new discoveries for our home for the next few nights.
In all honesty, the hanging bridge tour on this day was fun but a bit underwhelming. The guide was knowledgeable but not as enthusiastic as the guides at La Selva for example. In a job like that, you can really tell easily who loves what they do and for who this job is simply just a job. There is no shame in that, but I clearly noticed the difference. However, I got to see one of my favorite animals of Costa Rica, the eyelash viper. Luckily I was able to capture a picture with the help of the guide through the telescope which I was really glad to be able to do. To me the greatness of this species is the fact that the “camouflage” is so bright and vibrant. Some possible explanations are to reflect light and camouflage that way, but I have ideas about possible sexual selection preferences or even bright coloration to warn potential threats of the danger that this snake poses. Nature has interesting ways of showing what it wants to show and that can be seen with species ranging from frogs, insects, and mammals alike.
After an eventful week, the week was wrapped up with time at the Arenal Waterfall which was beautiful to see. After reflecting on that experience however, I realized that so much of this scene seemed to be solely enjoyed by tourists. The waterfall is a natural attraction, but everyone was charged to go and enjoy it. While I understand that this attraction brings in money, to me it would be more appropriate for it to be enjoyed by all because it is natural. I would hope that locals can enjoy for free while tourists have to pay, but I’m not sure if that’s the case for the waterfall.
Closing thoughts:
Rancho Margot was a great destination because it really showed me how it is possible to be sustainable while having the means of supporting so many people at one time. Of course on a massive scale I am not certain this would work, but strategies they employ could be introduced gradually onto larger scales bit by bit. I believe that their practices on the ranch really are good and ethical especially after how open they were during the tour. The only slight discomfort I had was in the pig pen and seeing the pregnant pigs stuck in minuscule cages where they could barely even stand. I understand there is a reason for this as these pigs can get violent when pregnant, but for me personally it was tough to watch an intelligent animal in that condition. I am no farmer and I do not claim to have knowledge on just what animals need, but from my perspective that is just the way I felt.
Finally my research project with Annetta has yet to truly start in data collection because we are not in a location that has the means to watch and study monkey populations. We are trying to record the effects of temperature on male versus female monkey species. In the end, we hope to find behavior correlations that we can associate with sexes of monkey based on daily temperature, but of course we will only be able to tell after observing monkey troops for some time. Regardless of the eventual findings, I look forward to our research in the coming weeks.
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