Sloth in a tree at The Goddess Garden

Costa Rica boasts an Incredible amount of Biodiversity

Costa Rica is a wildlife lover’s paradise! The small Central American country of Costa Rica is home to 5% of species found worldwide, though it contributes to only 0.03% of the earth’s surface. Costa Rica is one of the leading destinations for wildlife lovers from all over the planet. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at some of the most fascinating aspects of Costa Rica’s natural world, including Poison Dart Frogs, Howler Monkeys, Sloths, and so much more.

Learn more: https://ticotimes.net/2022/10/11/costa-rica-national-parks-understanding-their-importance

Poison Dart Frog

poison dart frogA black and green dart frog in Costa Rica

These striking little frogs are known as one of the most poisonous creatures on planet Earth. Their bright colors are designed to send a clear message to potential predators. They sure are beautiful to look at but make sure only to look and not touch!

Learn more: https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/poison-frogs

Howler Monkey

Howler monkey in Costa Rica

Most likely, you will hear these creatures before you see them! If you’ve spent a lot of time in the jungles of Costa Rica, you have probably heard the loud howls where these monkeys get their namesake from. These howls can often be heard at dawn or dusk and can be heard up to three miles away. The howl sends a clear message to other monkeys: This territory is already occupied.

Click here to learn more: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/howler-monkeys

Sloth

Sloth in a tree at The Goddess Garden
Photo from Satya Meditation and Yoga School

One of Costa Rica’s Classic animals, no trip to this wild country would be complete without a sloth sighting. These furry friends can be tough to spot as they spend between 15 and 18 hours per day sleeping. They also only come down from the trees once a week to relieve themselves before climbing back up into the canopy.

As difficult as it is to resist petting or holding these smiling creatures, it isn’t a good idea to handle them unless you know what you are doing. Their fur is actually host to fungi as well as parasites and their claws are long and powerful enough to cause serious damage if frightened.

A trained nature guide such as the staff here at The Goddess Garden can help you to find one of the resident sloths that claim their territory near our resort.

To see even more sloths, the Sloth Sanctuary of Costa Rica is a 20-minute drive away from our resort. Click to hear more about the sanctuary: https://www.slothsanctuary.com/

Golden Silk Orb-weaver Spider

Spider in Costa Rica
Photo from Renée ReBell -@gourmetfoodwine5

These spiders can be up to 3 inches in length (not including in legs). They got their name from the yellowish color of the web that they weave, which can be up to about 3 feet in diameter. You can often find the spider hanging out in the middle of their web head-down. Although these creatures can look a bit scary, they are harmless and not aggressive.

To learn more, check out:  https://www.insectidentification.org/insect-description.php?identification=Golden-Silk-Orbweaver

Toucan

These well known birds have relatively large beaks and can live between 15-20 years. In Costa Rica we have 6 different species of toucans, each having unique characteristics. To learn more, visit: https://gotourscostarica.com/blog/toucans-of-costa-rica 

Toucan in a tree in Costa Rica

Oropendola ‘Gold Pendant’

The Oropendola has a unique and rather silly characteristic, as hinted at by the bird’s common name (roughly, “gold pendulum”) and the Latin genus name Gymnostinops. A male Oropendola stands on a thin horizontal branch, with his claws wrapped most of the way around it. Then the bird spreads his wings and swings around the branch so that he’s hanging upside down, his yellow tail feathers prominently displayed above him. Sometimes he reverses the motion and springs back to the top, and sometimes he flips all the way around the branch like a gymnast on the horizontal bar. At the same time, the bird lets out its loud, goofy call. During mating season (January to May), this goes on pretty much all day, every day. When a male displays his tail feathers and makes the distinctive mating call, it attracts females (In a typical Oropendola colony, there are five females for every male, so the males keep busy.) The name Oropendola is also suggestive of the bird’s unusual nest: a long, narrow woven basket one to two meters in length. Each nest holds just one adult female and her offspring. They hang from the highest branches of tall trees, sometimes in clusters of dozens or even hundreds.

Learn more about these creatures: https://thegoddessgarden.com/the-oropendola/

 

Our retreat center, The Goddess Garden, located in Costa Rica, offers an opportunity to connect with nature and see wildlife in its natural habitat.

We offer an extensive range of group retreats, including yoga, wellness, spirituality, dance, improvisation, plant medicine, and many others. You are certain to discover a retreat that aligns with your interests. Browse our upcoming retreats and embark on a journey to paradise. Make sure to check back for updates. We are continually adding new retreat offerings!

https://thegoddessgarden.com/yoga-teacher-trainings-group-retreats/

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