Costa Rica is extremely biodiverse, indeed, it is one of the top 20 countries in the world in terms of biodiversity. There are a number of reasons for this. One such is that, at one time, it formed a bridge between North and South America, along with Panama. This allowed for the flora and fauna to spread between the two continents.
Howler Monkey
The howler monkey get its name from the sound it makes by passing air through its hyoid bone, producing a deep grunt that can be heard for great distances. They make the sound especially at dawn and dusk, using it to mark their territories and to communicate with one another.
In Costa Rica, the mantled howler can weigh as much as 9 kg and is the largest of all monkeys found in the New World. They usually have black fur with a mantle of brown or gold hair. They eat primarily leaves and also fruit and flowers. Most of their time is spent in the trees and they rarely go down to the ground. They can live anywhere between seven and fifteen years.
The monkeys live in groups called troops, usually made up of 3 to 4 adult males, 8 to 12 adult females and many young. The females can breed throughout the year but generally only do so once every two years. After a six-month gestation period, they will nurse their young for as long as one year. They have even been observed to care for babies who are injured or abandoned.
Destruction of their habitat has pushed the monkeys into areas where humans are present, typically on plantations growing cacao or coffee. They are protected as an endangered species and can be seen readily in the Costa Rica parks and reserves where they are left in peace to thrive.
Greenback Turtle
Also known simply as the green turtle, these sea turtles are recognizable by their rounded blunt beaks and the pair of scales found on the forehead between the eyes. They can grow as heavy as 230 kg with a length of up to 120 cm. The green color comes from its body fat which is greenish. While young, green turtles are predatory but the adults are herbivorous, subsisting on sea grasses.
Females mate every two to four years. After mating, they can make anywhere from 2 to 7 trips to the shore to lay eggs. The clutches of eggs are laid in holes in sandy beaches where they are sometimes dug up by raccoons, dogs or humans. If the eggs hatch, the newly born turtles make a mad dash for the ocean during which they are prey to crabs, frigate birds and gulls. Even once they get to the water, they may still be eaten by waiting fish. Tortuguero National Park is the place to go to see the laying and hatching of green turtle eggs in Costa Rica.
Not many turtles live past their first year. Until they gain the bulk and hard shell of the adult green turtle, they don’t have sufficient protection to withstand predators. Once adults reach 60 kgs, they are no longer at risk from anything but large sharks.