128Canopy Blog

The Corcovado National Park located in Costa Rica’s Southern Pacific Coast is considered the country’s most bio-diverse protected area’s with at least 140 species of mammals and over 6,000 species if insects.

To give an example of the region’s natural importance, the Corcovado National Park represents a 2.5% of the entire world’s biodiversity in just 105,193 acres of land and 4,730 marine acres.

A local scientist from the National University, Eduardo Carrillo, has been studying the White-Lipped Peccary’s behaviors in the Corcovado National Park.  The pig-like species is one of the main food sources of the endangered Jaguar, also found in the park.  The Jaguar has practically disappeared in all Meso-America and Panama.  There are an approximate 50 Jaguars left in the Corcovado National Park.

Carrillo mentioned that in 2001, an average of two peccaries were spotted per each kilometer.  Thanks to Park Ranger’s hard work in controlling illegal hunting of the species, an average 15 peccaries are currently spotted per each kilometer.  However, according to Carillo, the positive increase of the White-Lipped Peccary in Corcovado does not guarantee an increase in the Jaguar’s population.

The White-Lipped Peccary is considered one of the most dangerous among its kind as it will fiercely defend its herd and territory.  It has been said that a herd of White-Lipped Peccaries can kill a Jaguar if it tries to attack one of its members.

The presence of Park Rangers since 2005 in the Corcovado National Park has greatly benefited the region’s biodiversity and hopefully its fast path to recovery.

In a recent article published by the president of the Costa Rican Association of Professionals in Tourism (ACOPROT), Carlos Lizama, the need for funding the National Park System in Costa Rica was exposed.

Costa Rica’s National Park System is one of the country’s biggest achievements when it comes to protecting the dense flora and fauna within its small territory.  Costa Rica has been able to set aside at least 25% of its territory for protection following in the footsteps of pioneer countries such as Switzerland.  International eyes have always turned to Costa Rica when it comes to pointing out a model in sustainability.

In a recent survey among North Americans tourists, 60% of the subjects stated that their main reason in visiting Costa Rica was for its National Parks.  However, the media has recently echoed the numerous complaints issued by experts, park rangers and other administrative personnel regarding the lack of funds that visibly affects the system.

The author of the article dug deep into the complaints and admits that although the park system urgently needs improvements, he also points out that it’s not because of the lack of funds, but rather because of the lack of investment.  In other words, the park system legally has access to funds; it’s just that the funds are “lost” within the bureaucratic State banking system.

Costa Rica’s National Park System generates enough funds from entrance fees to have world-class facilities, but when local and foreign tourists visit parks such as Manuel Antonio, it is clearly visible that an immediate improvement is needed.

The author of this article calls out to the current Minister of Environment and Energy to properly redirect funds from entrance fees as well as international philanthropic donations to park improvements as well to the hiring of more personnel.

A tombolo is a unique formation of sand that shapes into a strip that connects the mainland to an offshore island or rock formation.  The geological “accidents” are quite rare and tend to disappear in a decade or even a few years.

Among Costa Rica’s diverse natural resources and spectacular formations are two of the country’s only sand strips.  However, the most spectacular of these formations is located in the South Pacific region of Punta Uvita.

Specifically, the tombolo is located at the Marino Ballena National Park in the South Pacific Coast.  What makes this strip unique is that it pays homage to the area’s famed whale population.  When looked upon from afar, the strip of sand that joins the mainland to a 25 million old rock formation looks like a whale’s tail when emerged from underwater.

The tombolo measures 3,200 feet in distance and is roughly 328 feet wide and when the tide is low, people can walk over to the rock formation.  The area is one of the country’s most attractive regions due to its biodiversity and unspoiled terrain.  The park protects the humpback whale population as the northern and southern species meet here to reproduce during mating season.

Other attractions near the Punta Uvita tombolo is the variety of coral formations that are quite popular among the diver’s population.

Scientists from the University of Costa Rica’s Geology Department have planned scheduled visits as well as a comprehensive research program to study the formation’s exact date of origin as well as its estimated existence due to the growing threats of climatic change and erosion.