Costa Rica Blog

The beautiful Reserve of Cabo Blanco in Costa Rica is located in the province of Puntarenas, on the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula. It was created through Executive Order of the Costa Rica Goverment in Oct. 21, 1963. Its length is of 1,172 hectares in the terrestrial and 1790 hectares at the marine area. Cabo Blanco is a haven for species of flora and fauna of the Pacific area and for large numbers of marine species. It is of great importance for its scenic beauty. Cabo Blanco is located within the zone of moist tropical forest life. It is dominated by evergreen species mixed with deciduous species. Some of the most common species are the Jobo, the Indian naked, the arbutus, the Guácimo, the Guarumo, the chaperno and the pochotea species of great commercial value in Costa Rica.

In the areas of primary forest, highlights the medlar, the pochote and the espavel. In this wild area have been reported 119 species of trees. The fauna in the reserve is not very diverse. However, there are species of mammals such as deer, monkeys like the congo and the red faced, the porcupine, the guatusa, the tepezcuinte, the martilla, the coyote, armadillo or cusuco and the ocelot or Caucel. Seabirds are very numerous, particularly brown pelicans, the Frigate bird, the gulls, the terns and brown boobies all found in Costa Rica.

For its part, the most characteristic land birds are the toledo, the magpie, the Cattle egret, the bearded vulture, the red widow, the green heron, the chachalaca, the kingfisher, the parakeet yellow wing and the buzzard red head. Within the marine environments the explorer can see large numbers of fishes, crabs, quitones, burgos, lobsters, cambutes, shrimp, clams and many other species. There are four programs in the reservation. The research program aims to develop research, as well as establishing and implementing the necessary measures for its control and supervision in Costa Rica. The maintenance program was established for the improvement and construction of facilities inside the reserve. Is basically the program which function is to keep the Reserve working properly

The Agenda for Protection in Costa Rica prevents illegal actions inside the reserve as hunting, fishing, fire and any extraction of forest products. The Environmental Education Program supports community relations to create a favorable atmosphere between the inhabitants of the area surrounding the reserve. It also ensures the attention of national and foreign tourists who visit this reservation and others like it in Costa Rica.

Frequented by tourists from around the world, Tortuguero National Park is another nesting site for sea turtles in Costa Rica. It is one of the most important nesting areas in the western hemisphere of the green turtle that is in via of extinction. The stunning Tortuguero National Park lies in the beautiful Caribbean coast of Costa Rica in the north-east region of the country about 50 miles north of Limon. It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and is adjacent to the Refugio Barra del Colorado to the north.

Protecting more than 22 miles of beach starting at the mouth of the Rio Tortuguero until Parisimina, this National Park of 19,000 hectares is a key area for nesting of different species of sea turtles like the green turtle who visit the place every year. It was declared a National Park in 1970 with the aim of protecting the population of green turtles in the world, and is also a reserve of monkeys, jaguars and a variety of mammals, birds and reptiles.

Tortuguero is home to about 170 species of reptiles and amphibians, this park is also habitat for 60 species of mammals and 300 species of birds. It is great place for birdwatching, both migratory and native that can be seen throughout the park, including parrots, herons, toucans, Jacana, hawks and many others. Other animals that inhabit the park include alligators, crocodiles, iguanas, toads, bats, lizards, otters, ocelots and others. You can also find a variety of shellfish. Another animal in danger of extinction that is found in the park is the manatee of the western India. The researchers believe that only 100 manats inhabit the lagoons of Tortuguero National Park.

Tortuguero, which means ‘Region of Turtles’, is a nesting are for turtles that every year comes from March to mid-October. This period of nesting, known as arrival, occurs when the moon is hiding, for that reason, to see the turtles nesting you will have to go after 6:00 pm and with an expert guide, because it is not possible to explore the beach unaccompanied after this hour. One way to see the turtles is by boat, canoe or kayaking, away from the edge so as not to disturb the turtles during their nesting or mating.

The climate of Tortuguero is humid and rainy throughout the year and the best time to visit Tortuguero National Park is in February, April and November because they are the driest months. Primarily composed of a rain forest, this park has 11 different and varied ecological habitats that include coastal shrubs, bogs and evergreen forests. The flora and fauna found in this place are the most diverse in the country. To get there; there is a fly from San Jose to the village of Tortuguero which is located within the park. As there are no roads to this village, your only option is to take a boat from Moin, near the port of Limon.