by Lara Bogdanovich (University of Vermont)
I have been given the daunting task of writing a summation of the Round River experience and with all my heart I will try tell our tale.
After six weeks on the most incredible journey of our lives we have reached the end. There is something to be said for how time passes in a place as remarkable as Costa Rica. The name Costa Rica when translated literally means rich coast, and I have come to learn how accurate that title really is. We have seen wildcats and sea turtles, trees older than time, and rich and colorful landscapes painted by unrivaled plant biodiversity.
The semester is wrapping up and our six weeks here have come and gone. After our return from Lomas del Sierpe we spent our remaining days with final exams.
We began our natural history final exam on Tuesday the 26th. This practical exam involved a short trek to the beach where we were quizzed on the flora and fauna we’ve become familiar with over these past few weeks.
How we find the birds for our natural history exam (photo by Ross Kamimoto)
Right outside our camp the mud had momentarily preserved the tracks of a medium-sized mammal. We speculated whether it belonged to the canine or feline family and for a moment we considered the possibility of a wild cat silently wandering through our camp. This thought was a curious blend of chilling and enthralling.
At a closer examination with local experts we noticed the presence of claws. This told us we were looking at dog tracks and they most likely belonged to the charismatic Osa Verde pup.
We continued our hike towards the beach, determining Ceiba from Ceibo and peering through binoculars at the wide array of avian diversity. While we had stopped to scribble the names of the things we recognized I noticed a light brown animal on the river Piro just 15m shy from where we all stood. My first instinct was that I was looking at a deer, but when piercing yellow eyes met my own I knew I was staring into the face of a Puma. I alerted everyone to look up and see what I almost couldn’t believe I was seeing. In a short instant the cat had vanished and we were left reeling over the whole moment. The Puma’s gift to us: a perfect example of large cat tracks to compare with the canine paws we saw that morning. From this experience I have learned a simple truth, and that is that I believe natural history is taught as much by the natural world around us as it is by our instructors.
The group is remarking about finding a puma (photo by Ross Kamimoto)
Finals continued on and by the 29th we were gearing up to go into the Corcovado National Park.
Three days doesn’t feel like it’s that long but, when you’re surrounded by trees a hundred times that old there doesn’t seem to be any fair scale to place time on. With over 4,000 km2 of protected forest, Corcovado is home to some of the most elusive and wild animals on the Osa Peninsula. The forest has been recovering steadily from decades of use by hunters and farmers who sought to make a living here. Our guide Maikol belongs to a family whose history is synonymous with the history of this place. He has been working to protect a forest that means so much to him and it wasn’t hard to see why.
Corcovado National Park (photo by Ross Kamimoto)
On our 21km trek into Corcovado we encountered White-nosed coatis, White faced capuchins, Tamanduas, and other incredible biodiversity. Coatis tend to travel in groups and occasionally can be found climbing trees.
Though primarily terrestrial, both Coatis and Ross can be found climbing trees (photo on left by Ross Kamimoto and photo on right by Kenna Hill)
We backpacked along the coast and zigzagged between the forest and the shore like leaf cutter ants following a well-maintained trail. Along the trail we found unusual landmarks and took our breaks in the most remarkable locations. While we ate lunch a whale skeleton that had been washed ashore five years ago accompanied us.
The Sirena station at Corcovado is beautifully arranged to hold an assortment of travelers from all over the world that come to behold the hidden wonders tucked inside these woods.
Our full day in the park included hiking around the Espaveles Trail and making our way to the Río Sirena and the Río Claro. On the beach we saw a sleeping Baird’s Tapir the size of a small horse. In the river a few minutes after we saw a crocodile the size of a small tapir lying in wait for a thirsty agouti. The birding was practically spoon-fed to us, and as we plodded along the trail, new species of birds conspicuously appeared. They even waited long enough for us to rifle through our guidebook and point to the most likely candidate. We ended our full day in the park by taking a dip in a swimming hole and we reflected on all the swimming locations we’ve discovered here. We tried to rate each of the places but they all had a unique allure that made them impossible to compare.
Our morning hike out of Corcovado. (photo by Ross Kamimoto)
On our final morning in Corcovado we woke up before the sun to hike back to catch the infamous collectivo back to the Piro station. We had to hike fast, and in a race to beat the incoming tide we caught some spectacular wildlife. A Baird’s Tapir and her baby were coming to drink the saltwater and we stood a mere 5 meters from these endangered animals.
One of four Baird’s Tapirs that we saw along the shore (photo by Callie Ficek)
When we ate breakfast we sat looking out across the Pacific Ocean under a golden sky. Later on we passed some foraging White-faced Capuchins that were tantalizingly close and allowed us to admire their intelligent behavior close up. We returned to Piro to pack up and said our goodbyes.
As the final days of traveling begin, I am certain we will continue to reflect further on everything that happened in Costa Rica. It has been saturated with the incredible experiences of science, culture, and family. I have nothing but feelings of fondness and endearment for the Round River family. As we are on our way home I would like to say a big thank you to Round River and our instructors; for none of this would have been possible without them. I would like to wish Callie the best of luck as she continues on with her adventures on the Osa.
Pura Vida everyone!