Day 1
I came to Costa Rica with a rough idea on what animals I wanted to see… and on the first day alone I saw most of my target species. The first species was poison dart frog (well besides the terrifying spider we found in someone’s shower the night before, the amount of extremely large spiders in this country is kind of freaky but I digress). I genuinely never realized how abundant the Poison Dart Frogs were. We started the day with a little guided nature walk which was the perfect way to begin our time in Costa Rica. I saw three-toed sloths, adorable Honduran White Bats, and a slew of bird types. The sloths were pretty amazing, I could have sat and watched them climb trees for hours if I had the free time. On the night hike I got to see the classic Red-Eyed Tree Frogs, Mexican Tree Frogs, a Cloudy Snail Eater, a Green Vine Snake, and a Fer De Lance! I have a particular love in my heart for green snakes, but I was also thrilled to see a Fer De Lance, since those seem to be a hallmark of the tropical rainforests. There was also one point where I guide had us turn out our lights so that we could see these pieces of wood that glowed in the dark due to bioluminescent fungi. The rainforest is kind of a sensory overload to be quite honest. It can be hard to take everything in. There are so many things to look at, the plants are very green and lush, leaves are always rustling from movement, and there is a constant stream of sounds from varying creatures.
Day 2
Although I had very much enjoyed exploring La Selva so far, it was nice to sit in the classroom for a bit and talk about the course (and enjoy the air conditioning). The latitudinal diversity gradient explains that as you get closer to the equator, biodiversity increases exponentially. This is really apparent in Costa Rica. When you enter the forest, there is a wide range of things to be seen. I was walking with one of my classmates, when we heard a strange noise. When we followed it, we found a group of people staring at the trees… at Howler Monkeys! I was ecstatic to see monkeys just hanging out in trees. I love photography, so one of my goals for this trip is to get as many good pictures of the animals I see as I can. I saw this gorgeous Basilisk Lizard who was extremely photogenic. I think it was genuinely one of the best pictures I have ever taken in my life. During our night hike we saw a Salmon-Bellied Racer and a Caiman. The caiman was kind of spooky because it was dark and you could just barely see it floating in the water, sticking its head out. The forest is so different in the dark, it is like being in a whole new place entirely. I like how it is more ominous, walking through knowing that there are so many creatures hidden by the darkness.
Day 3
In the morning we went on a bird walk where we saw around 24 different species. I think my favorite were the woodpeckers or the Blue Gray Tanagers. But even more excitingly, I saw a new type of poison dart frog. I had previously only seen the Strawberry ones but this one was green and black. On a small walk with some of my classmates we saw a group of Spider Monkeys that were swinging in the treetops. It was a great scene to watch, they are so playful and energetic. I had finally finished my initial proposal for my research project. I decided I wanted to focus on how human presence effects species’ home ranges. I was particularly interested in this topic because of the peccaries here. I have seen how they stay close to the research facilities and do not seem to mind humans at all. My hypothesis is that they do this because they can use humans as a sort of safety net, since they know that the larger predators do not want to come anywhere near here. I am excited further my research and get started on this project.
Day 4
Today was the first day I got a real hike in. We practiced for the Howler Monkey Census, so we had to hike out to our positions. In total I got 9.64 miles in and got to see parts of the forest I had not been to yet. The terrain was rough, and the trail became more primitive. Our group saw a False Fer De Lance which makes the fifth species of snake I have seen. I also swear I saw a tail of something running in front of me on the trail. But my whole group just thought I was crazy and did not believe me. After this long hike, it made me want to go out deeper into the forest more. I cannot wait to get more opportunities to hike and explore the land in smaller groups. The only downside was the rain. It soaked my boots and I fear they will never dry! But I guess it is called the rainforest for a reason.
Day 5
I woke up at 2 am so I could spend the morning counting Howler Monkey calls. Although I know this sounds like not the greatest time, I enjoyed it a lot. The 4+ mile hike out in the dark was pretty fun, and it was nice to watch the sky slowly light up. It felt good to participate in the Howler Monkey Census because I felt like I was actually contributing to important work. Also, I got to see Capuchin Monkeys! So, this officially means I have seen all three monkey types in this particular area we have been staying at. I think they are my favorite ones because they seemed to have a lot of attitudes, but the spider monkeys are awesome as well. After the early morning, I spent the day getting ready for my initial pitch of the project.
Day 6
Today we listened to the IRES students about their research projects for this summer. It was interesting to go out into the field with them and see how they work. We got to watch Capuchins and Howler Monkeys while they taught us their methods. I was particularly interested in the camera with their laser. It is super interesting how those lasers can be used to measure distances. Over my week I have been here, I think I have decided that the bridge is my favorite part. Earlier, here was this small caiman sitting on the riverbank. I was glad to be able to see one in daylight to get a good view. After just one week here I already love it. Seeing all the biodiversity keeps me excited for more! There is a lot to admire about this country and the amount of life that the rainforest can cultivate.
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