Introduction       

       Welcome! Thank you for visiting my site.

   So, what is like to be here in CR as an admirer of the natural world? Well, with about 5% of the world's biodiversity established here you can seize the opportunity to view some of the 939 species of birds, according to the latest official list of bird species in Costa Rica, over 11000 species of plants that includes more than 1500 species of orchids, some 400 species of amphibians and reptiles, over 200 species of mammals, of which more than 100 are bats, and 181 known species of fresh-water fish. Insects? How about more than 35000 identified species with possibly thousands more yet to be discovered, so be prepared to bring your own personal supply of bug spray!

    The amazing biodiversity existing in Costa Rica is due to a number of different factors, the primary one being the formation of  the Isthmus of Panama (an isthmus is a narrow strip of land that joins two land masses with water on either side) which joined North and South America some 3 million years ago, thus allowing the exchange  of animal and plant life between the two regions. Additionally, a contributing factor is based on the 12 life zones identified by Holdridge in 1967, each differing according to the degree of humidity, rainfall and temperature. For example, a dry forest environment will normally have less than 78 inches of rainfall annually, whereas a tropical rainforest will range between 80-260 in./year, and lowland temperatures near 90º F compared to temperatures in the highest elevations, such as atop Cerro Chirripo (12536 ft.), of below freezing. Another condition that affects the distribution of wildlife, especially birds, are seasonal changes. Extensive bird migrations involving hawks, thrushes, warblers, and others occur from August through November to Costa Rica and other Central and South American locations during the approaching  winter months in North America. 

    To fully appreciate this diverse realm of nature as noted above, it is best to hire a professional licensed guide that abound throughout Costa Rica. With this in mind, it is my intent on this site to recommend various tours, each associated with a particular guide that I am familiar with for guaranteed satisfaction. Other tour locations not mentioned can also be arranged with a professional guide.