Manuel Antonio National Park
Today we had a great start for our trip. We began with an early wake up call, at 6:00 am ship time, at Manuel Antonio National Park, which is considered a small biological oasis, that contains some of the most beautiful scenery in the country, and is home for many species of flora and fauna that are in danger of extinction.
The area that constitutes the park today was acquired by non Costa Ricans who prohibited local people from entering. This precipitated the formation of a pro-national park committee, which convinced the municipal and national authorities to declare this area a national park on November 15, 1972.
We had great luck; we saw white-faced capuchin monkeys, Central American agoutis, proboscis bats and brown-throated three-toed sloths….
What is that on the ground?
What is what? Oh! I see it. Yes what is that?
Common Pauraque (picture) is one of the most difficult birds to see during daytime in the forest. It is a nocturnal bird that feeds on insects. During daytime their cryptic plumage of brown, buff, gray, mottled, streaked, vermiculated, or barred, blend in with the ground full of leaves and litter, making them invisible to our eyes even if we are a few steps away from it. Related to nightjars (or goatsuckers). This family contain about 67 species, occur in temperate and tropical regions worldwide except in New Zealand and most oceanic islands.
For the afternoon we had a good snorkel at San Josecito Beach in Osa Peninsula, where besides the fish and coral we had about seven scarlet macaws flying about our beach.
Today we had a great start for our trip. We began with an early wake up call, at 6:00 am ship time, at Manuel Antonio National Park, which is considered a small biological oasis, that contains some of the most beautiful scenery in the country, and is home for many species of flora and fauna that are in danger of extinction.
The area that constitutes the park today was acquired by non Costa Ricans who prohibited local people from entering. This precipitated the formation of a pro-national park committee, which convinced the municipal and national authorities to declare this area a national park on November 15, 1972.
We had great luck; we saw white-faced capuchin monkeys, Central American agoutis, proboscis bats and brown-throated three-toed sloths….
What is that on the ground?
What is what? Oh! I see it. Yes what is that?
Common Pauraque (picture) is one of the most difficult birds to see during daytime in the forest. It is a nocturnal bird that feeds on insects. During daytime their cryptic plumage of brown, buff, gray, mottled, streaked, vermiculated, or barred, blend in with the ground full of leaves and litter, making them invisible to our eyes even if we are a few steps away from it. Related to nightjars (or goatsuckers). This family contain about 67 species, occur in temperate and tropical regions worldwide except in New Zealand and most oceanic islands.
For the afternoon we had a good snorkel at San Josecito Beach in Osa Peninsula, where besides the fish and coral we had about seven scarlet macaws flying about our beach.
