# Costa Rica 2010



## tarantulabarn (Apr 21, 2005)

*Costa Rica 2010*


November 2010 is the time we are off to Costa Rica on as a volunteer at a Sea Turtle Conservation centre you could be working on 1 or 2 specialised marine turtle conservation projects, involved in the day to day preservation of the endangered leatherback turtle species. You could be helping out with the preparation of hatcheries, beach clearance and night patrols. The leatherback turtles are considered critically endangered, ie. Over 80% of the population was lost in the last 10 years! You will receive training on the subject of marine turtles and therefore be able to help with research and data collection
Once the days work (if you can call doing this work) is done the rest of the day is yours to explore the beautiful surroundings and really get to see the wonderful natural wildlife in cost Rica including, Invertebrate species make up most of Costa Rica’s wildlife. Of the estimated 505,000 species, about 493,000 are invertebrates (including spiders and crabs. It is known that there are tens of thousands of insects and microscopic invertebrates in every land type and elevation level. However, they are largely unnoticed or unidentified.Some notable insects in Costa Rica are stingless bees, ants such as leaf-cutter ants and army ants, Hercules beetle, and many katydids.Costa Rica is home to around 175 amphibians, 85% of which are frogs. Frogs in Costa Rica have interesting ways of finding fishless water to raise their young in. Fish, of course, will eat tadpoles and eggs. Poison Dart Frogs put their eggs in water pools in bromeliads. Other methods include searching ponds before laying eggs, and laying eggs in wet soil. There are 35 species of _Elutherodoctylus_ frogs, 26 species of _Hyla_ frogs and 13 species of glassfrogs.
Notable frog species in Costa Rica include Red-eyed Tree Frog , a few species of Poison Dart Frogs, the semitransparent glassfrogs, and the large Smoky Jungle Frog. Some other notable toad species in Costa Rica include the ten species of Bufo toads and the Giant toad, a huge toad known for its wide appetite. It has been documented eating almost anything, including vegetables, ants, spiders, any toad smaller than itself, mice, and other small mammals.
Besides the frog species, approximately 40 species of lungless salamander and two species of caecilian are found in the country, both rarely-seen and little known. Costa Rican amphibians range in size from the Rainforest Rocket Frog, at 1.5 cm (0.5 in), to the Giant toad, at up to 15 cm (6 in) and 2 kg (4.4 lb).
Approximately 225 reptiles are found in Costa Rica. This includes over 70 species of lizards, mostly small, forest-dwelling anoles. Large lizards such as the Striped basilisk, Black iguana and Green iguana are probably the country's most regularly-encountered reptiles. Snakes number about 120 species in the country, including 5 powerful boas and a wide diversity of harmless colubrids. There are about 20 venomous snakes, including colorful coral snakes and various vipers such as the common eyelash viper and two formidable, large bushmasters. The venomous snakes of Costa Rica are often observed without issue if given a respectful distance. Among turtles, 5 of the world's 7 species of sea turtles nest on the nation's beaches. Two crocodilians, the widespread Spectacled Caiman and the large, sometimes dangerous American Crocodile are found in Costa Rica. The country's reptiles range in size from the delicate 15 cm (6 in) Hallowell's Centipede Snake of the _Tantilla_ genus to the hulking Leatherback Turtle, at 500 kg (1100 lb) and 150 cm (60 in).

Costa Rica is home to nearly 250 species of mammal. Medium-sized forest-dwelling mammals are often the most appreciated mammalian fauna of the country. These include four species of monkeys such as the frantic White-headed Capuchin and noisy Mantled Howlers; two species of aptly named sloths; the opportunistic White-nosed Coati; and the fierce predator, the Tayra. Bats comprise more than half of the mammal species in the country, unusually outnumbering rodents twice over. Their bats are adapted to various foraging methods and foods; including nectar, fish, insects and parasitized blood, as the case with the infamous vampire bats. Prominent bats include the tiny, communal-roosting Honduran white bat and the huge, predatory Spectral Bat, the largest new world bat. Large fauna, such as tapir, jaguar and deer are rarely encountered, being both elusive and tied to now-fragmented undisturbed habitats. Costa Rican mammals range in size from the 3-gram Thumbless Bat of the Furipteridae family to the 250 kg (550 lb) Baird's Tapir


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## tarantulabarn (Apr 21, 2005)

We decided on November 2010 giving a full 12 months to save the cash for the trip which will be approximately £1100 all in which includes

Basic accommodation, 3 meals a day, airport pick up and transfer, orientation, 24/7 help and support from local 1 to 1 staff

We are not organising this trip just putting things together for anyone that wants to come with us, this will all be booked direct through STA travel and full details of the trip can be viewed on their site at www.statravel.co.uk
If you are genuinely interested pm me your address and I can send you a disc with pictures from a previous trip of all the wildlife that was seen and a sta brochure with all the details and a copy of the email quote from STA, I am told with a party of 10 or more there are discounts that they can give us

To secure a place I will be booking by January with a 10% deposit and the remainder 4 months before we travel


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## louodge (Sep 26, 2008)

P.M sent


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## tarantulabarn (Apr 21, 2005)

all replied to


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## blood and guts (May 30, 2007)

Very very tempting but ive already booked ecuador and galapagos islands for 17 nights in sept/oct 2010:2thumb:

If ya help setup a 2011 im intrested though, aint planned that fare ahead yet.


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## tarantulabarn (Apr 21, 2005)

2011 will be conservation and animal sanctuary in the amazon rainforest


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## reptiles-ink (Nov 4, 2006)

pm sent Steve


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## spider_mad (Mar 8, 2007)

tarantulabarn said:


> 2011 will be conservation and animal sanctuary in the amazon rainforest


Promised my other half I take her to Canada next summer after end of uni and would love go Costa Rica but may wait for the '11 trip to the rainforest.


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## tarantulabarn (Apr 21, 2005)

reptiles-ink said:


> pm sent Steve


Names on the list , will send the details out


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## angela__k__84 (Oct 4, 2008)

How many days/nights will it be for?


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## scots_pine (Mar 25, 2009)

PM sent.


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## tarantulabarn (Apr 21, 2005)

And relplied


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