Jaguars in Costa Rica

A Majestic Cat: For years poachers and farmers protecting livestock have threatened Costa Rica’s jaguar population. Conservation groups estimate that 30 jaguars were killed in the last three years. Those groups are now working with farmers to provide incentives to protect the species.

At least 18 jaguars have been found dead in the Southern Zone’s Osa Peninsula since 2008. Across the country, conservation groups estimate that figure exceeds 30.

The death of Costa Rican jaguars is alarming for wildlife protection groups, particularly since jaguars are listed in the “near threatened” category of the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) red list. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), an estimated 15,000 jaguars remain in the wild, all in Latin America. Substantial populations only exist in 13 of the 18 countries where they are found.

Jaguars are considered to be extinct in El Salvador and Uruguay and are critically endangered, if not extinct, in the U.S. The New York-based wildcat conservation group Panthera reports that 40 percent of the world’s original jaguar population has already disappeared.

“The jaguar is still an abundant species, but is threatened by habitat loss and persecution,” said the IUCN’s 2008 red list report. “Due to loss of habitat, poaching of prey and fragmentation of populations across portions of the range, this species is considered to be ‘near threatened.’ If threats continue at the current rate the species will likely qualify for vulnerable status in the near future.”

In Costa Rica, traditional threats to the species remain. Poaching and sport hunting remain a menace, though national conservation and wildlife groups agree that the biggest threat to the jaguar population is their death at the hands of farmers. According to Eduardo Carrillo, biologist and director of the International Institute of Conservation and Wildlife at the National University (ICOMVIS-UNA) in Heredia, the conflict between cattle and jaguar has resulted in the greatest losses of the wild cats in the last 20 years.

“Much of the reason that jaguars enter farms to attack cattle is because sport hunting has diminished their principal prey and sources of food in protected areas,” Carrillo said. “People kill the principal prey of the jaguars and it leaves them without sufficient food. As a result, they leave the protected areas and kill cows and pigs, which results in the jaguars being killed by farmers… In Costa Rica, it is the principal cause of decreasing population of jaguars.”

Carrillo said that as the population of wild pigs, known as peccaries, decreased in Osa’s Corcovado National Park due to poaching in the early half of the 2000s, the jaguar population fell with it. When Corcovado added dozens of park rangers to combat poaching in 2005, the peccary population gradually replenished. While the jaguar population didn’t recuperate as quickly, Carrillo said that six new jaguars were identified in Corcovado during the past year.

In addition to encroachment into farmland in search of food, conservation groups say that shared water sources, such as rivers and streams that run from the forest into farmland, also result in clashes between farm animals and jaguars. Roberto Salom, a coordinator of Panthera’s Mesoamerica Jaguar Program in Costa Rica, said that if a cow or pig wanders into the forest or a jaguar into farmland to drink, there is a higher propensity for an attack.

“Often farmland and forest preserve share the same boundaries, and farm animals and wildlife are in close proximity to each other,” Salom said. “When a jaguar is in the same vicinity of a cow or pig or dog, the risk of attack is high. Even though other animals such as pumas or coyotes sometimes kill the farm animals, farmers usually assume they were jaguars. In order to protect their animals, they kill the jaguars if given the opportunity.”

Working With Farmers

To reduce the number of jaguar deaths at the hands of farmers, wildlife conservation groups are actively trying to educate farmers and landowners located near national forests how to protect their animals from possible attack.

Salom said that the four members of the Panthera program visit farms in Talamanca, in the southern Caribbean, the central Caribbean, and the Northern Zone to suggest possible prevention methods. Ideas for the protection of farm animals include providing a source of water, such as a trough, closer to the farm, or the construction of secure shelters for their animals at night. Salom said that the minor costs incurred to increase animal safety are far less than the cost to replace lost animals.

Carrillo also said the lead investigator at ICOMVIS-UNA, Ronit Amit, is conducting similar efforts in Corcovado, Santa Rosa, Pacuare, San Ramón and Monteverde.

“The reception of the farmers is usually very positive,” Carrillo said. “Farmers are looking for ways to protect their animals from attacks and aren’t out to kill jaguars. With some adjustments, they can both be reduced.”

In Puerto Jiménez, the largest town on the Osa Peninsula, the Wild Cats Conservation Program, or Yaguará, has collaborated with farmers to reduce attacks as well. They are experimenting with alternative strategies, such as a farmer compensation programs when a wildcat kills an animal.

“When the jaguars prey on domestic animals, such as a cow or hunting dog, it is very costly for farmers. If a jaguar kills a hunting dog, for example, the loss is valued at $500 to $4,000,” said Aida Bustamante, the founder of Yaguará. “One strategy that we are trying to implement to resolve the issue is through a compensation program. If one of their animals is killed, we investigate if the cause of death was indeed a jaguar or puma. If we can determine that it was, we try to pay for some of the cost of the animal or supply them with another one. The response has been very positive and we hope it will reduce the number of jaguars killed.”

In recent weeks, Yaguará was permitted to employ an innovative technique that could further enhance the monitoring of jaguars in the Osa Peninsula. In April, the Ministry of the Environment, Energy and Telecommunications (MINAET) approved for Yaguará members to begin placing GPS satellite monitoring collars on area jaguars. Though the ambitious project will require the youthful team of five to spend long nights in the forest trying to capture and place collars on jaguars, Bustamante feels that technology provided by the GPS radar system will reduce the number of wild cat deaths in the peninsula.

“We will be able to observe the movement of the jaguars on the Internet and will know when they are approaching farms,” Bustamante said. “When they do, we can alert the farmers that a cat is near so they can take the proper precautions. It will be a much more direct and efficient way to protect farms and jaguars.”

Bustamante also said that the collars will be placed only on adult jaguars, as they could provide a strangulation hazard for younger, developing cats.

Despite the potential benefits to tracking jaguars with a GPS collar, both Carrillo and Salom say the method carries a high amount of risk.

“I respect their efforts and I hope the project turns out well,” Carrillo said. “But you can get much of the same data with cameras that don’t require human interaction with the jaguars. Catching a jaguar and placing a collar on it could be a very traumatic experience for the cat and could result in an attack if not done properly. Jaguars and humans are not intended to interact.”

Regardless of their chosen methodology, the wildlife conservation groups of Costa Rica are united in their efforts to reduce the number of jaguar deaths and to educate farmers on how to assist them. On the scale of the IUCN red list, “near threatened” hangs between “least concern” and “vulnerable.” It will be the efforts of these organizations that determine the future movement of that pendulum.

Article taken from ticotimes.net

World Turtle Day

 Today is World Turtle Day, sponsored yearly since 200 by the American Tortoise Rescue, to bring attention to, and increase knowledge of and respect for, turtles and tortoises, and encourage human action to help them survive and thrive.

Despite that hard exterior, they're really big softies on the inside and need your protection. This World Turtle Day, be kind to the turtle. I mean, what's he ever done to you?


Turtle Day is celebrated worldwide in a variety of ways, from dressing up as turtles to saving turtles caught on highways, to research activities.

 In Costa Rica authorities are using the day with a special appeal to prevent overfishing and implement a tougher stand against those who violate the laws.

  

Turtle species that today are in danger of extinction are the "lora" (ridley) and the "baula" (leatherback) and the "verde" (green) and the "carey" (hawksbill), due to impacts such as global warming but also because of poor fishing practices.

The leader of the Programa de Restauración de las Tortugas Marinas, Jorge Ballestero, explained that in the case of the endangered leatherback turtle the species could disappear completely.

Data from environmental organizations dedicated to the conservation of turtles reveal a decrease to 3.9% annual spawning of the Hawksbill species since 1960.

World Turtle Day was started to increase respect and knowledge for the world’s oldest creatures.

These gentle animals have been around for about 200 million years, yet they are rapidly disappearing as a result of the exotic food industry, habitat destruction and the cruel pet trade.

Adults and children can do a few small things that can help to save turtles and tortoises for the next generation.

Never buy a turtle or tortoise from a pet shop as it increases demand from the wild. Never remove turtles or tortoises from the wild unless they are sick or injured. If a tortoise is crossing a busy street, pick it up and send it in the same direction it was going – if you try to make it go back, it will turn right around again.

Write letters to legislators asking them to keep sensitive habitat preserved or closed to off road vehicles, and to prevent off shore drilling that can lead to more endangered sea turtle deaths.

Report cruelty or illegal sales of turtles and tortoises to your local animal control shelter.• Report the sale of any turtle or tortoise of any kind.

Article taken from insidecostarica.com

Researchers Doing Everything To Protect Threatened Jaguars in Costa Rica And Panama

The Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica represents a tiny piece of the jaguar's home range. But the majestic cats have already disappeared from many of their old strongholds. Even where they have managed to survive, plenty of threats remain, mostly from humans.

That means that every jaguar counts, said Aida Bustamante, who along with Panamanian biologist Ricardo Moreno created an organization called Yaguará, which aims to study and protect jaguars and other large mammals in Costa Rica and Panama.

It also means that survival of the species depends on a major attitude adjustment among people who share land with them. So, in between camera checks, the team is on a relentless quest to talk to farmers, poachers and community members and help them think about the cats in a new way.

"Some people believe that jaguars on the Osa Peninsula are not important anymore and that they will become isolated someday," said Bustamante. "But nobody has proved that."

"People love jaguars, and they may have jaguar posters in their rooms, but they're not really protecting jaguars," she added. "People believe the animals cannot disappear. And yes, they can."

All jaguars belong to just one species, Panthera onca, which used to range from the southern United States to southern Argentina. Today, there is an occasional jaguar spotting in Arizona. But the cats are mostly limited to pockets of stable populations between northern Mexico and northern Argentina, with the largest numbers in the Amazon Basin. The cats have disappeared completely from Uruguay and El Salvador.

Jaguar numbers have been in decline for centuries. And while scientists have been assessing populations since 2000, they are cautious about offering number estimates just yet, said John Polisar, coordinator of the Jaguar Conservation Program at the Wildlife Conservation Society.

One reason for the restraint is that, in vast and wild places like the Amazon, jaguar numbers simply haven't yet been surveyed. Even in more developed areas, sampling has been incomplete. And statistical extrapolations -- trying to guess how many jaguars are out there based on how many have been observed in a small area -- can end up being inaccurate.

Camera traps, like the ones Bustamante's team uses, are one of the best ways to get an accurate jaguar head count. Each cat carries a fingerprint-like pattern of spots, so researchers can tell if they are seeing multiple animals or if they're just seeing the same cat again and again.

Photos often reveal a wealth of other information, too, including details about what the animals are eating, what time of night they're out hunting and even how their prey populations are faring. Bustamante's computer is full of photo albums showing jaguars with peccaries in their mouths or rolling like kitty-cats in the dirt.

Memory cards also reveal a parade of ocelots, pumas, tapirs, coatis, agoutis and other passers-by. After the researchers get over the excitement of seeing what their cameras caught, they painstakingly document all of it.

All of Yaguará's cameras lie in populated areas outside of parks and in corridors between fragmented protected areas, because these are the places where threats to the cats are greatest. The researchers are also planning to install more cameras around the Osa. They are expanding their work into Panama and hope to put radio collars on a few jaguars to see where the cats go.

Besides offering much-needed information about jaguar biology, Polisar said, surveys like these can show if conservation efforts are working. But the actual task of conservation brings a far more complicated set of challenges. The fight to save the jaguar is a fight against the cat's history of periodic conflicts with people.

Farmers still frequently kill jaguars that eat their livestock. Deforestation and development are rapidly destroying big cat habitats. And rural hunters may compete with jaguars for the same prey.

To protect jaguars, Bustamante's group employs a variety of strategies. They sell T-shirts to raise money so that they can compensate farmers when jaguars take their cows, pigs or other animals. They also teach farmers better ways to protect their livestock from predators.

To poachers, who may enter the forest to hunt at night, the researchers offer rewards for tips about where to set up new cameras if those cameras end up snapping shots of jaguars. And the researchers speak again and again to community members, trying to convince them that predatory cats are not their enemies. They gave 55 talks last year.

It's not yet clear whether any of these efforts are helping. There have been at least 17 jaguar killings on the Osa Peninsula in just the last two years, Bustamante said, though she added that people seem more receptive to her group and their work.

Ultimately, Polisar added, protecting jaguars -- in both the Osa and in jaguar habitats elsewhere, some of which are up to 20 times larger -- will depend on a nuanced set of strategies that take into account the basic needs of both people and cats, and the social issues that differ from place to place.

In some regions, for example, law enforcement might be a priority. In others, outreach to cattle ranchers or subsistence hunters might matter more. In other words, there is no single recipe or easy formula for saving all jaguars everywhere.

"If you take a big-picture look at the jaguar range, it's composed of pixels -- each a place where jaguars occur," Polisar said. "Jaguar conservation needs some tailoring to local realities, although you can boil down general components of how to conserve jaguars. Among other items, we need to try to get past the distrust and antipathy some people have inherited towards jaguars."

The good news, Polisar added, is that jaguars still occupy approximately 45 percent of their original range (compared to less than 7 percent for a species like the Asian tiger). The jaguar still has options, especially as efforts continue to keep populations connected.

And the level of commitment to efforts like those on the Osa is encouraging. At the very least, some people in some places are finally now thinking twice before killing jaguars.

For the people who are doing everything they can to protect wild cats, the work is truly a labor of love. Despite years of relentless research and campaigning for the sake of the animals, Bustamante and her colleagues have never actually seen a jaguar in the wild.

"The locals say you'll see them once every 10 years or twice every 25 years," Bustamante said. "We've been here for eight. None of the three of us have seen jaguars. It's really hard."

Article taken from insidecostarica.com 

Part Of Costa Rica Disappears Following Japan Earthquake

One of Costa Rica's most important tourist attractions in the the Zona Sur (Southern Zone), the Tómbolo de Punta Uvita, has disappeared following last Friday's 9 magnitude earthquake.

Experts of the Obvservatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica (OVSICORI) - Costa Rica's volcanology and seismic institute - believe that the tsunami caused by the earthquake increased tides and possibly a drop in the sea floor.

The Tómbolo or the "cola de ballena" (whale's tail), is a stretch of sandy beach located in the Parque Marino Ballena in Punta Uvita that visitors, during low tide, of the area can walk from the mainland out to sea almost one kilometre.

However, since Friday morning residents of the area and confirmed by experts, the level of water covers most of the Tómbolo even at low time and the only way to reach the tail is by swimming out to it.

And the tail itself is about half submerged in the water and almost completely during high tide.

Article taken from http://www.insidecostarica.com/dailynews/2011/march/18/costarica11031802.htm

Why Do They Paint the Bottom of Trees White?

If you have ever noticed around Costa Rica many trees with the trunk painted white and wondered why someone would go to the trouble; there may be a good reason. The white painted bottom is rarely a decorative statement or an attempt to make the tree more aesthetically pleasing. It is, however, a practice that can potentially save the life of the tree. 

This practice is common in Costa Rica and Latin America, but almost impossible to get straight answer as to why.

Trees can benefit from a coating of white paint when recent landscaping has entailed the removal of a larger tree that once provided shade for another, or the excessive removal of branches has left a tree barren and its trunk exposed to the sun's rays.

Sunscald
The bark of trees is just as susceptible to sun damage as is human skin. Too much hot sun directed onto a tree trunk day after day may not leave behind a sun burn but it will cause damage to the bark that will become noticeable over time. Sunscald is denoted by bark that cracks and falls off, or simply changes colour. Wrapping the tree with a specially designed trunk cover or painting the tree trunk can prevent sun damage.

Bores
A tree borer is an insect that tunnels underneath the bark of a tree and cause severe damage to the underlying layers of the tree. Adult tree boring insects will even lay eggs under the bark; leaving larva to chomp away at the phloem (nutrient-transporting layer) of the tree.

According to the University of California, a large infestation of tree borers feeding on a single tree can result in damage that can only be rectified by heavy pruning or removal of the tree. Tree boring insects often seek out trees with the weakest outer protection, so painting trees that are susceptible to sunscald can prevent bark damage and keep tree borers at bay.

Animal Damage
Painting the trunks of trees is also helpful in deterring furry, four-legged vermin. There are some wild animals that feast on tree bark, causing severe damage to the trees that become their daily lunch. According to the University of Vermont, adding a small amount of repellent to the white paint can prevent hungry animals from gnawing on tree bark.

Misconceptions
Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to use white paint to protect a tree trunk. In fact, any light-color paint can be used. What is important, though, is the type of paint used. Latex based paint that is used to paint the interior of your home is sufficient, but if you want to be "green" use paint that has an organic base. Never use an exterior paint because it contains fungicides that can harm the tree.

Road Safety
Some roadside trees are painted with reflective paint to enhance visibility to drivers. This is purely a road safety measure.

Article taken from insidecostarica.com

Activities in Pavones Beach UPDATE!!!

Hi everyone!

Check the link for more info on the Festival:

http://www.festivalgolfodulce.blogspot.com/

3 Days Festival in Pavones Beach

Hello!!

I would like to invite everybody to enjoy the "1 Festival EXTREMO" that will take place in Pavones for 3 days. The events will start on Friday and will end on Sunday.

Activities:

- Tournaments: Surf - Kitesurf - Skateboard - Paddleboard
- Rally: Boats - Cars - Atv
- Concerts: Mantra - Paco Villa - Zenda - Wagner Vargas - Moon Light - A-Traviesa - Caca de Vaca - On

The Animal of the Day!

Hi everyone,

Our friend Cheryl Rhodes sent us these nice photos of a Sloth. She took the pics from her property.

Posting Comments

Hi everyone,

I want everybody to get more active with the Blog, this is why here are the two steps to post comments on any post:

- Click on the Title of the post
- Scroll to the bottom and look for the POST A COMMENT link

Let's comment :-)

PS* To announce or promote activities and share experiences, recommendations or words of caution regarding local activities and events let us know and we will post them.

Calling all Hippies!!!!

A notice is being passed around Golfito extending an Open Invitation to a REGIONAL RAINBOW EVENT.

"Come join the Brothers and Sisters at the Rainbow Hostel located on the Water in Golfito"

This is a FREE Event

For more Info please check us out at

www.therainbowhostel.com

or call 8890 4732

PEACE & LOVE

From 01/15/2011 to 02/28/2011

Costa Rica Investigates Mysterious Death of Sea Turtles

Scientists in Costa Rica are studying the death of at least 10 and 12 more ailing turtles in the southern zone. Universidad Nacional (UN) told the press that the environmental organization MarVia found the 22 turtles floating near Matapalo beach.

 Ten of the Kemp's Ridley turtles died within days of bringing them to shore and biologists and veterinarians have no idea of what caused their deaths.

According to Widecast Network, this occurs when creatures have been floating adrift in the water for a prolonged period.

Widecast diretor, Claudio Quesada, told the La Nación that the turtles could have been at sea for more than two months, as they showed dehydration and lack of feeding for weeks.

Chemicals from nearby drainage from crops of palm, rice and pineapple, given their concentration of agrochemicals, could be the reason as some of the substances could affect the turtles.

So far this year another 41 Kemp's Ridleys were found in the biological reserve on Caño Island in a similar state as those of Matapalo.

* Kemp's Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) is a critically endangered species of sea turtle. It is one of two living species in the genus Lepidochelys, the other one being L. olivacea, the Olive Ridley. It is also the rarest sea turtle. Kemp's Ridley is the smallest living sea turtle species, reaching maturity at 2–3 feet (61–91 cm) long and averaging only 45 kilograms (99 lb).

It is typical of a sea turtle, having a dorsoventrally depressed body with specially adapted flipper-like front limbs. Like other sea turtles, it possesses a horny beak.

Article taken from insidecostarica.com

Sunset in Golfito

Our friend Chris Castellanos sent us these nice photos he took of yesterday's sunset, one word can describe this.....BEAUTIFUL!!!

Thanksgiving visitors.....

Hi Everyone!!!! Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

We have a friend visiting us today.......anybody know the name of this bird????

Airport Tax Can Be Paid Online in December

Travelers will be able to pay their exit tax online beginning in December

Just in time for the holiday rush and the onset of the tourist season, Bancrédito (Banco Créditor Agrícola de Cartago) is unrolling a system in which travelers can pay their exit tax online.

The new system is intended to reduce wait time at the airport and allow travelers the flexibility of paying anywhere in the world. The Web site, which is expected to go live on Dec. 1, can be accessed at http://www.coimsa.com/.

“Bancrédito is working with the Finance Ministry in the modernization of tax collecting services, with the aim of eliminating lines [and] offering mechanisms of electronic payment that facilitate and expedite payment of the tax,” wrote Arnoldo Trejos Dobles, general manager of Bancrédito, in an e-mail to The Tico Times.

The airport exit tax, which is currently $26, can also be paid at select hotels such as the Intercontinental and Holiday Inn.

Article taken from ticotimes.net

Main Road Between Quepos and Manuel Antonio in Danger of Mountain Collapse

The Aguirre Chamber of Commerce issued an alert today warning that the main road connecting Quepos to Manuel Antonio is in danger of a mountain collapsing onto it. All business owners are advised to evacuate the stretch between the Tutu Bar and Mimo’s Hotel until a geologist advises how to resolve the danger.

The following emergency alert was sent out by e-mail by Harry Bodaan, president of the chamber:

“I just left a meeting with Ana Orosco, mayor of Quepos, and Dr. Alejandra Quesada of the Health Department concerning the imminent danger of a mountain collapse onto the main road leading from Quepos to Manuel Antonio. The subject area stretches from the new Tutu Bar to Mimo’s Hotel and everything on both sides of the road.

Owners are advised to close their businesses and vacate their premises until a geologist gives a report of what needs to be done to resolve this danger. The populated areas below this mountain are in grave danger of massive landslides.

Please prepare for the eventuality of Manuel Antonio being inaccessible until solutions can be found to do the necessary repairs to the main road, and be ready to contribute to the repair of the ‘Old Manuel Antonio Access Road’ in a major way.

... The imminent danger on the eve of our high season threatens the entire area of Manuel Antonio if swift action is not undertaken. We need your full cooperation as we stay focused on what to do next.”

Heavy rains caused severe damage to roads in Manuel Antonio earlier this week.
Courtesy of Jennifer Rice

Article taken from ticotimes.net

Finally......Good News!!

Transition From Costa Rica's Wet To Dry Season Has Begun

Only days after the devastating rains wreaked havoc on Costa Rica, the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN) – national weather service – said the transition from the rainy season to the dry has begun.

This means less rainy days during the next several weeks of transition of the season that will continue until next May.

Although October was the dried month on record for the last half decade, the first days of November saw three days of constant heavy rains causing flooding and landslides and directly responsible for 25 casualties, thousands forced to take refuge in shelters, many losing everything except the clothes on their backs.

Many areas, like Costa Rica's Southern Zone, are still with serious problems in transportation, electricity and drinking water.

Work crews of the Ministerio de Obras Pubica y Transportes (MOPT) have been working around the clock to repair and rebuilt many of the roads destroyed by the force of nature, the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) restoring electrical power and telephone service, while the Acueductos y Alcanterillados (AyA) to provide fresh drinking water.

"The south of the Southern Zone is in a total mess", said Transport minister, Franciscao Jiménez.

Article taken from insidecostarica.com

Road Closed - Costanera Sur

Hello!!

In these pics you can see how bad is the weather situation affecting the roads. This is located in La Costanera Sur, road from Palmar Sur - Dominical - Quepos.....

Photos taken from the FaceBook Profile of Que Pasa

Rain, rain and more rain!

Hi everyone,

Our country is facing some of the worst rainy seasons ever. In Golfito has been raining for over a week, without stopping. Today, in the news was presented a landslide in Escazu, destroyed homes and killed at the moment more than 25 people and the account continues to grow. The link below shows the Rio Grande de Terraba, near Palmar, grown in an incredible way. The neighbors say that this is the first time they see the river in this way.

The roads are closed in many parts of the country, domestic flights canceled. There is uncertainty about what might happen in the next few hours. In these three last days, it rained, which on average rains throughout November.
In the Canton de Golfito have been no reports of landslides, but there are fears in the hospital, because according to people who work there, the mountain is slowly crumbling.

I will try to keep everybody up to date. 

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=109385025795438&set=a.109384592462148.10672.100001718235872

New Gallery in Golfito - GRAND OPENING!!!

Costa Rica Recognized For Biodiversity Protection

Costa Rica has been named as the winner of the 2010 Future Policy award at a global summit on biodiversity in Nagoya, Japan, as the country aims to be the first developing nation to meet UN biodiversity commitments. 

The prize, issued by the World Future Council, was given in recognition of the country's 1998 biodiversity law, which was held up as a model for other nations to follow.

Costa Rica channels funds from a fuel tax, car stamp duty and energy fees to pay for nature reserve management and environmental services like clean air, fresh water and biodiversity protection.

Landowners are paid to preserve old-growth forests and to plant new trees. As a result, forest cover has risen from 24% in 1985 to close to 46% today.

It has also established a national commission on biodiversity, comprising scientists, civil servants and indigenous representatives, which proposes policies to the government and promotes green education among the public.

Partly as a result, Costa Rica ranks third in the global Environmental Performance index and first in the Happy Planet index.

"We are declaring peace with nature," said Mario Fernández Silva, the ambassador of Costa Rica, referring also to hiscountry's abolition of its army in 1958. "We feel a strong sense of responsibility about looking after our wealth of biodiversity. Our attitude is not progressive, it is conservative. Our view is that until we know what we have, it is our duty to protect it."

The country has also received nearly us$56 million in donation and debt write-offs – much of its from the US – to expands in forest and marine conservation programs.

The government also says it has expanded eco-tourism and tightly regulated bio-prospecting (the commercialization of traditional medicine) and initiated measures to share the benefits.

According to the ambassador, his small country has more varieties of butterfly than Africa, and more bird species than all of North America, as well as many flora and fauna that have yet to be identified, but are threatened by multinational corporations which seek to access natural resources by manipulating free trade agreements.

"Our biodiversity law has got us in trouble because it has run up against the free-trade agreement we signed, which has encouraged many transnational pharmaceutical companies to try to get access to our natural resources. We have stuck to our policies."

The jury for the prize – made up of experts from across the planet – also commended Australia's efforts to protect the Great Barrier Reef and the biodiversity laws of Japan and Norway.

"This is stimulating best practice and encouraging others to follow," said Ahmed Djoghlaf, executive secretary of the UN Convention on Biodiversity. "Business as usual is not an option."

After celebrating their award, Costa Rican officials were considerably less ebullient about the prospects for a deal at this week's biodiversity conference in Nagoya.

"The sense of urgency is not here, just as it was not evident in climate talks. We remain optimistic, but we are already thinking of the next conference in India," said Fernandez Silva. "Costa Rica is so tiny. We need a planetary answer, but there are many things that won't get fixed here."

Elsewhere at the conference today, in an alternative prize-giving ceremony, civil society groups presented the Dodo Award for failure to evolve to Canada and the European Union for "their obstructive behaviour" in the talks so far.

"The EU and Canada lead the way to extinction, with China and Brazil close behind," noted the CBD Alliance.


Article taken from insidecostarica.com

French Gypsy Sailors

Banana Bay welcomed a professional circus sailboat to the Bay this week. This French pair lives aboard sailing around the world performing. Today the neighborhood enjoyed a unique acrobatic performance on their deck with another promise for tomorrow. Here is their link: www.voilierspectacle.com

Myths and Legends of Costa Rica

Hello everyone, in this month of Halloween I want to share with all of you some stories, legends and myths of Costa Rica. Some of them were what kept me well behaved when I was a child and actually so far lol.

The Ox-less Carts

This particular period of time carried its own problems The new leader, who had a number of arrests, wants to leave a marked and innovative course. The reward for doing these was the respect of his people who followed his orders, trusting his ideas for the good of the commonwealth.

San Jose de la Boca del Monte (it was the first name of the City of San Jose) had to be built - under the new leader rules - in the strongest city of the new Republic. Of course this would not be possible if its inhabitants continued to wander the valley. That kind of living feels at ease without relations between each others, due to the selfishness and greed of the landowners! The saying to justify-' was: "Everybody in their houses and God in all of them"; and because that belief that seems uncivilized, feed on a sick freedom, denying all solidarity and strong cohabitation. The liveliness that all people need is to be progressive, productive and caring for the progress. This issue had to be inverted.

Soon, after he showed his strong directing side, the leader started to realize how San Jose de la Boca del Monte showed its firsts organizational signs that will lead them to a modernized city. And this was accomplished by the ruling of an intelligent, fatherly leader Although, the government was undeveloped, it offered the necessary bases to carry out the innovative project of making a city. How it could not be possible to fall into temptation of acquiring the necessities to make life more pleasant9 Those first pioneers, who were used to fight the adversity of an unattended colony of the Guatemala Kingdom, started to feel the necessary human heat to get rid of the segregation, which made life difficult for them.

One lovely morning, in an Open Meeting, the neighbors decided to come down from the hills in order to fulfill the leaders orders. It was not liable to oppose his commands, so they did it gladly.

They started by dividing the land into blocks to make enough land to hold four families.

Immediately, they started c"La Fiesta del Barro" (mud Party) in order to build a well based and spacious houses made of sun-dried clay brick. The city was boiling with enthusiasm and hardworking; some were cutting and carrying wood from the mountains, others were churning mud with animals, and the smartest of them were knitting fabrics. And what about the ovens, that were built for common use by the women and getting ready to use*7 Some were cutting different kind of grass to give to the cattle and biscuits for everybody to enjoy.

In less than a year, those hard working peasants were enjoying a nice house with milking houses and barns to store the season's crops, as well as small part of land on which the family could grow their own crops and vegetables to sell at the market for a personal income. The laziness they once had, had now been changed into an organized com m unity.

Then it happened that the Mother Nature seemed to test the newly built village, news from up North of the Country arrived announcing a plague of cholera creeping towards the village.

The alarm was in the village; at once, Juancho Pacheco went house by house in order to call to a meeting in Eduviges Brenes' house.

As it was expected, Juan de Dios, known as "Juancho", an active and well spoken person, showed enough enthusiasm to motivate the people.

'See here my friends, I did not know about cholera... that sickness had taken too many lives in the 56' war that were produced because of unsanitary conditions. And this was told by Gomez just before he had come from North called by the government. And this is not a story telling; he seems to know about that because he comes from an European University. "Do you know who his father is? Don Paco Gomez, is he with us? I would ask don Paco, he knows more of the matter than me, have a word with him and tell everybody the news. Because he was not here! It seems that he was sent by Lajuela (Alajuela), where the things are very bad, and has a lot of deaths already. And we are here, so ignorant and without any worries of the business and with all this sickness around us. Is better to let don Paco tell us about the matter'

'Good evening and thank you all for being here tonight, and thank you Juancho, who was very concerned. ! While talking to my son, he told me that we should do something very' soon, because the unsanitary ways of lifestyle we use among us is the cause of this terrible disease. But we should learn about better way of sanitary ways and have potable water in our homes to wash our hands and clean our vegetables, we could fight this disease. We must do something very soon.'

'So, what should we do' Don Eduviges asked?

'Get together with the educated ones' suggested Juancho., 'if you let me do it I will ask him to tell me what we should do.

'We are with you!'All of them said, and the meeting ended.

The next day, early in the morning Juancho went to look for Dr. Gomez, who received him very warmly.

'Doctor', I have come to ask you for your help in order to convince the village folks to clean up and fight the cholera epidemic. They will do whatever you say, and you already know our lifestyle... Filthy! Filthy! ; OK? And it is a good idea, one of the activities has to begin through education, a neighborhood Committee must be organized. No time to waste, because the piping from the government is coming any minute and we have to install it. The water is the main thing for our health. And we must clean up the town im-. - mediately.'

'And who do you think could do the job? I don't know, you are in charge, you must find that person.

Juan de Dios, without loosing his time and as Chairman of the Health Committee of San Jose de la Boca del Monte, started to create the committee with really quick success, with the help of the Cubillo family and others. And he explained the job to be done, as cleaning toilets and other tasks.

Daniel, the eldest asked 'How do,you expect to do such a job Juancho?

That is easy - Juancho said- look; you put an extra compartment on the cart soit can easily fit six barrels. And with a rope you start to take out all the crap from the bottom of the holes and put it into the barrels. Then, because you don't want to be seen, put on black clothes that cover your heads and then, between two, pull the cart to the Virilla River an empty the barrels and that will take care the mess.'

'Seems OK', Miguel said, 'but, what about the smell? I can feel sick in my stomach just thinking about it!'

That can be easy fixed, Juancho reassured them. If you start the job after ten o'clock at night, when they are all asleep, no body will see you, not even when you take out the muck from their holes in the garden. Anyway, it's a secret that will be kept with me.

Then the job was started. The town folks were overjoyed to see their tanks empty in the mornings, but at the same time, the town was horrified by the occurrences during the night. After the lamplighter put out the lights, the whole town was left in a scary situation, because of the horrifing darkness. In the mornings, people told stories about how the chickens had been stolen, the nests were ransacked and pigs were slaughtered. And to everyones surprise, the girls were mysteriously getting pregnant and people were saying that it was the Holly Spirits job. Blasphemy! they were saying. To complete the story, the browe ones who dared go on a spree, come back late to their homes, appeared speechless and without sight. They all swore that they saw an ox less cart leaving the "crime scene".

And so many times this story was told, that people stared to believe that the town was haunted.

"YES", said my grandfather, after hearing the story, "my grandfather told me this story too, but he told the other part that nobody knows. The children that were born from those unfortunate girls mysteriously pregnant over night were in fact members of the Cubillo's family. They were about one hundred in total, so for the next hundred years. The Cubillo's family made up one third of the population without know-'ing their sons secretly committed these "crimes" when finished their jobs of emptying the septic tank of the town. How about that?

Story written by: Próspero Castro Fallas, cc/Papillo


 The Cegua

A peasant was walking with me. He had a healthy soul that he had being able to maintain, with ail its purity and simplicity. I love virgin souls and I take the pleasure in penetrating them, and listened closely to his conversation and only interrupted to ask questions. There was no breeze through the trees, and nobody was on the road and the majestic silence ruled the starry night. All of a sudden we heard the galloping of a horse.

"Someone is coming" I told my partner he put in practice his country man ear, safely and convincing he said:

"Not in this road, it's going up the road"

I haven't finished the words in my mouth, and then suddenly the galloping stopped, A few moments later the galloping started again, but tt wasn't rhythmical like last time, there was something strange about tt.

In a quiet tone of voice, almost superstitiously respectful the man whispered to me:

"That rider has encountered "La Cegua", but do not fear my friend, because there are two of us and she won't come near, because we are walking"

"La Cegua?" - I asked with interest. "What kind of animal is that"?

It seemed to me as if a smiie appeared on the lips of the man as if my ignorance amuse him:

-But, Sir! How is it possible that you, who read lots, do not know about "La Cegua"? It is the devil itself, and God help you if run into her.

"I assure you that I do not know, explain it to me:

We were very near our destination and the dogs could smell us started barking, not menacingly, but in friendly welcome way. The stars lit up the night and it seemed like one of those fantastical landscapes you only see in books.

No soul has become the same after seeing "La Cegua". Strong men. healthy, happy, joyous, hard working men, had change completely. "Some even die out of fright-", then he began to name a list of a few people he knew that has lost their life of this terrible apparition

"It's not easy to see her" it goes everywhere, in particular places mostly. Around here appears a lot, this is why you will never see a rider by himself, there is almost always two riding together."

Is it possible that she can be seemed by two? - I asked! "When we are by ourselves she approaches us. He replied happily, because he knows he has been listening with a lot of interest.

In some places out of the town's limits, where there are a lot of bushes and trees on along road, is the usual spot where she likes to surprise the passing riders. She appears in the middle of the road, and with a very sweet and weak voice she says: -"Kind Sir, Tin very tired, and I'm in my way to see my sick mother, would you be kind enough to give me a lift to..0 And she gives the name of the nearest town, (because she is the devil itself and knows everything).

"Then, it is a person, or has a person characteristic9 -I dared to ask again.

"She is a very pretty young girl, with big black eyes, curly hair and a beautiful mouth. Everyone who looks at her falls under her charms and felt very sorry for her because they can see the tiredness on her and her little voice."

At that moment a gentle breeze started to make the leaves move that created shadows all around and then brushed the path ahead us, as if some invisible mischief force was moving ahead of us. Mother Nature was helping the narrator the effect he wanted.

-"Not even the most cold-hearted men and no one can resist to her charm. Some take her on the back of the saddle, but most prefer to take her on their laps. To her is the same thing, When they started to move, if she in front, she turns their face, if she in the back, she makes the rider turn back And comes the very scary thing, and the beautiful woman disappears, her face looks like the skull of a horse, fire comes out her eyes. Se opens her mouth and shows her huge yellow horse like teeth and lets out a horrible putrid breath. At the same time her arms like iron. hang on the rider. The horde seems to know what is happening, it take off in a crazy gallop trying to get rid of the monster."

-"And then what happens?"

-"Then the men who have picked up the girl, and of course with wrong intentions on their minds, are later found dead with their eyes wide open in fear and with a horrible look on their faces. The others, as I told you before, live but, serve out to remain there uselessly.

We arrived to the gate and I could hear the dogs barking louder. Meanwhile, I was in a deep meditation. Is there no other healthy way to teaching this fantasy0 Who has not encountered "La Cegua" Who has not surrendered to the seduction of a beauty and its physical charms and nothing more? Who hasn't surrender to the misunderstanding mercy?

And then, the weakness of the body, the soul, and perhaps death? And "La Cegua" is a stow used to scare young men into doing the right thing and keeping their minds pure.

Story written by: Melitón Araya Marín


The Tulevieja

Another terribly sad and depressing story about young women who have babies out of wedlock, is the famous "Tulevieja." This creature wears an old "tule" or hat and is short and skinny; some say that it has the body of a chicken and large breasts that hang down. Regardless of the details, most will agree that she isn't a pretty sight...The "Tulevieja" was once a thirteen year-old girl who became pregnant, thus getting kicked out of her job and causing the anger of her parents. When she gave birth, she refused to breast-feed the baby, thus killing him. She was sent to Puntarenas by her parents (province by the coast), where she got sick and died only two weeks later. Because of the injustice that she committed, she's doomed to wander around houses, looking for children that she can breast-feed.

The Cadejo

There once was a young man called Joaquin, who lived in the old capital city of Cartago. Joaquin loved to party, and to party hard, and he used to cause much suffering to his parents, especially his father. Sometimes, his father tried being tender and soft with him, at other times strict and authoritative, but nothing seemed to work. Then, his son didn't come back home until after a one-week rampage through all of the local bars and corrupt places. His father looked at him with burning red eyes, a look which was passed on to his son's eyes, and ordered him not to ever come back to the house. However, Joaquin wouldn't move or answer anything, and his father's scoldings and curses were so harsh, that they transformed him into a black dog called "Cadejos" that wanders forever, with a chain around its neck. The dog will follow any person that is straying from "the good path" by drinking and staying out late, and will not part from their side.

I hope you guys enjoy this nice stories that have been a part of all costa ricans.

Our New Sign!!!

Hi everyone, take a look on the new sign we're installing for our Tour Desk......what do you guys think?????

Hanging loose at Tierra Mar

 It's a ghost town here these past weeks..... Went to see who was at the door hoping to set up a tour or show some property and this is our only "action" today. Iggy was there.....looking for a hand out. Come on all you seasonal folks.  Get down here before we go nuts with boredom. Looking forward to seeing some of you at the door next time. 

Here we go again!!!!!

Costa Rica Promises Southern Zone An Airport
Costa Rica's presidenta, Laura Chinchilla and the ministro de Transportes, Francisco Jiménez, have declared a "public interest" the construction of an airport in the southern zone.

The airport, which would cost us$35 million dollars and to be paid for by the Dirección General de Aviación Civil, would be located on fincas 9 and 10 in Valle de Diquis in Sierpe de Osa.

No start date was announced.


Article taken from insidecostarica.com

Horsing Around in Puerto Jimenez.....SOON in our Tour Site!!!

What better transportation could there be for goofing off in Pueblo 'Puerto Jimenez' than by horseback? Enjoy a half day of full day of exploring the town center, the outlaying rural roads and the beaches. Be on your own agenda instead of an organized tour.... For your safety and convenience, a mounted "Campo Cowboy" with local knowledge will chaperon you. The gang will have a blast!

(Priced for Groups of 4 or more. Discounts for children under 7 years riding 'double')

Half Day Ride:

$48 per horse
$10 per double rider (child only)
FREE guide with horse (Tips optional but recommended)

The tour starts in Puerto Jimenez. Clients will take "the ferry" from Golfito, price approx. $10 round trip pp.

http://www.golfitocostarica.com/
www.golfitocostarica.com/costarica_tours/index.htm

If you are a foreigner in Costa Rica......

Hi everyone, this is a "be aware" article.....

Tourist Overstay Fine Not Yet Being Applied, December Is The Deadline

Leaving Costa Rica for foreigners who have overstayed their "tourist" visa period could be costly and be barred from returning to Costa Rica for a period of up to three times they overstay. Although that is the law, immigration officials have yet to enforce it, which could be anytime between now and December 13.

Visitors from North America and Europe typically are given a stay of up to 90 days, while many other nationals are only given 30 days, when they must leave the country or their stay in Costa Rica becomes illegal and are subject to sanctions and expulsion.

Under the new immigration law that went into effect on March 1, 2010, tourists are required to pay a fine of us$100 for each month they over stay their visa period and must stay out of the country for a period of up three times their overstay before they are allowed to return.

Immigration officials can easily check the passport and their database to see when a person entered the country by land or air and can also determine if a person is not permitted re-entry. The rules are usually stricter at the country's airports than at land border crossings.

However, the immigration service has yet to enforce this overstay rule and according to immigration officials tourists who have overstayed their visa period will not be required to pay. Not yet anyways, but will be required to do so when the law is expected to be enforced before the middle of December.

Currently, Costa Rican authorities at the San José airport are checking the entry stamp at the security check point which occurs after paying the exit tax and given a boarding pass by the airline.

Article taken from http://www.insidecostarica.com/

Independence Day in Golfito, September 15

Photos taken by Pedro Bozza