I never cared much about animals until I spent a week on the Galapagos Islands. Suddenly I saw them with different eyes and really enjoyed watching animals in their natural habitat. Still, when it came to Costa Rica I was thinking more about the beach and less about the wildlife. But once I saw the first crab (in the dark I believed it was a tarantula) in Tortuguero, my interest awoke and suddenly I enjoyed searching for them.
In Tortuguero I stayed in a lodge which stood on 14 hectares of land. Next to the huge national park. Here it was fairly easy to spot animals, even for me. Usually it’s better though to hire a guide and who directs your glance at them. Even then it was sometimes difficult to see anything. But with a little guidance I could spot animals that for sure would have stayed hidden without help.
Most of the animals in this post I cannot name. I am sure the guide mentioned them, actually he was talking all the time, telling us really interesting things. For example the male howler monkey, which sounds by the way like a dinosaur from Jurassic Park, has a dark coat but white balls. Weirdly, stuff like this I remember. Other things, like all the bird names, I don’t recall at all. Nor all the other creature names I saw. But I was more than happy to spot them while walking around or going on a guided canoe tour. Honestly, it feels magical to observe animals scampering happily about in freedom. Yours, Pollybert
not sure what kind of bird but still looks fabulous even during rainy weather @Tortuguero
a bird in brown @Tortuguero
some birds walking on water @Tortuguero
a white bird @Tortuguero
There is a green snake on this picture. Can you see it? @Tortuguero
another bird @Tortuguero
a caiman @Tortuguero
iguana on the grounds of Pachira Lodge @Tortuguero
a termite nest @Tortuguero
no animal but check out these hanging bird nests @Tortuguero
a blue crab @Tortuguero
an armadillo next to a walkway in Pachira Lodge @Tortuguero
