Costa Rica Animals & Plants

[fgrsk8r1970]

My Cowboy and I have been blessed having great friends in Costa Rica and we have visited them now 5 times with a 6th visit coming up in August. They live in a beautiful spot at the beach that they dedicate to Nature (their house is a Nature preserve) and their love of primates reaches beyond their time in Costa Rica.

They used to work with the late Diane Fossey and Birute Galdikas and are wildlife photographers specializing in endangered primates. Traveling all over Africa and Borneo.
She is one of the few people in the world who has observed and photographed both wild orangutans and gorillas in their native habitat. She developed a great-ape education program for school children in SoCal upon her return. Their home reflects and shows so many photos it's amazing and also of course to listen to their stories!

Now she enjoys bringing nature and educating everybody about the monkeys and other animals in Costa Rica and we've been so fortunate to experience and learn from her and her husband during our visits.

So all of the photos you'll see were taken on their property (or next door) but no animal was enticed, fed, lured etc. They absolutely advocate and educate against that. The monkeys come through their property every day during their natural route to their "bed time" and although curious do not bother us and I get to use my zoom lens to enjoy up close their fun routines and behaviors.

They have of course tons of Lizards just enjoying the grounds, the occasional Sloth and tons of birds that usually sleep in their palm trees at night.

When we visit now we really basically just lounge at the pool and take in the wildlife around us, the noises of the Rainforest, the sound of the ocean and ok... the occasional cocktail ;-) (or fresh coconut water from their trees)

[fgrsk8r1970]

The very cute but shy Mono Titi monkey
















I guess they are not worried about privacy ;-) ... did I say shy earlier? Not during Mating season



I don't know what kind of spider this was and I was a little afraid BUT had to take a picture ;-) It was the size of a nickel/50 cent (in Euros) piece

[fgrsk8r1970]

So here are the promised plant photos. I am not sure what some of them are, so any help is appreciate from all of you smart posters!!

[Deleted]

Those are really great, skater! I hope you have tons more photos in your archives where those came from!

I think my favourites (if you twisted my arm and made me pick some) are the first one of the monkey, the chartreuse coloured spider, and also the spiderweb.

[bixaorellana]

Fabulosisimo!!!

I love the way you take actual portraits of the animals, even the cold blooded ones. The mono titis are too precious. What size are they? The sloth is positively cuddly. Do any of the animals approach humans?

The flower pictures are outstanding, too. What a paradise!

Some tentative identifications:
#1 is some kind of a porterweed -- S. franatzii, maybe, although it could be another of the Stachytarphetas.

#2 is probably Canna indica, the wild canna lily.

#3 is golden shrimp plant, Pachystachys lutea

#4 might be Heliconia rostrata -- anyway, some kind of hanging Heliconia.

#5 ditto

#6 is maybe the "perennial peanut", Arachis pintoi or Arachis glabrata

#7 could be "dwarf tibouchina", Dissotis rotundifolia.

#8 is Heliconia bihai, I think.

#9 see #4

#10 I'm guessing is Alpinia purpurata.

[fgrsk8r1970]

Wow Bixa thank you !!! That's wonderful of you!!! And no, none of these approach humans (at least not on their property where visitors are really educated to not entice them or lure them in any way).
Now a few miles down in the National Park where stupid tourists feed them they do (the capuchins mostly) and they get quite aggressive and steel bags because they want the food.

It is very sad and makes me mad that people do that all over the world (thinking also of lugg's mention of the fish in snorkeling spots like Mexico, Caribbean in his Maldives report being fed). It is bad for their delicate primate system and they can contract bacteria from a humans hand (stuff that might be harmless for a human) that hurts them.

The mono titi's were actually endangered for a while but are now doing much better.

Thanks Kerouac - I sure do.... I have hundreds of Monkey pics LOL even after 5 times there I don't get tired of photographing them. So if you are not monkey'd out.... I have some conf calls coming up but I promise to put up more soon!!!
And thanks - yes that spider was fascinating and I love spiderwebs :-) was hoping for one with dew on it, but maybe this year!

THANKS

[fgrsk8r1970]

Oh and I also have normal Costa Rica "life" photos if ya'll are interested.... I know Kerouac you like those just as much if not more

[bixaorellana]

May 16, 2013 16:58:27 GMT fgrsk8r1970 said:

That's wonderful of you!

Not really. Compulsiveness is its own reward.

May 16, 2013 16:58:27 GMT fgrsk8r1970 said:

It is bad for their delicate primate system and they can contract bacteria from a humans hand (stuff that might be harmless for a human) that hurts them.

I never realized that! I thought the main reason for not feeding wild creatures was because it upsets the natural order of things, plus the animals might become aggressive. We think of ourselves as so healthy, whereas of course we're carrying stuff for which other primates might have no defenses.

[mossie]

The monkey lounging on the branch is a super shot, one of many.

[lugg]

Whilst you have expressed a wish to travel to the Maldives , equally I long to go to Costa Rica and your photos just encapsulate why.

Monkeys scare the hell out of me , but only because of the behaviour they have learnt from humans who have fed them not probably not knowing any better. I have had several bad experiences , the worst being in Sri Lanka when I unknowingly bought some lotus flowers to take to a temple at the top of a hill. After getting mugged several times I just gave up and threw the flowers away. Despite this I agree they are just such fascinating and wonderful animals.

I too benefitted from Bixa's Id's - the shrimp plant I know as the lollipop plant ? the same ?

Finally for now, out of all the pic of the sloth stood out for me, amazing animal and photo. Yes more please.

[htmb]

Absolutely stunning, skater.

I'm short on time (and words) these days when it comes to commenting, but I'm sure enjoying your posts as well as the many others. So many delicious reports to savor!

[fgrsk8r1970]

Thanks mossie, lugg & htmb I have been fortunate that the monkeys mind their business when we are at their property, but understand what you say as I witnessed the capuchins at the nearby park where they were quite aggressive stealing everything in sight.

The mono titi's - although shy - gave me the best photo opps last year which was a first (the capuchins are always there but maybe because it was mating season the mono's were more "loose" ha ha)

I love their little faces - the "clown mask" and color. So here is my tribute to the Mono Titi's.



we all started to imagine the conversations or thoughts they were having LOL... so this one I imagine the one saying "are you going to share?"



Nope... ain't sharin' ... even the one on the left is like... "come on dude"


This one is a little blurry, they are so quick..


It's mine... no it's mine...


STOP TICKLING ME !!!


Deep concentration!


And although not part of this mono titi tribute... still super cute - mommy capuchin with her baby

[bjd]

Those monkeys are really cute. How small are they?

[Deleted]

It make one want to buy three or four of them for domestic entertainment. Of course, within 48 hours, after total destruction of one's domicile by those fiendish beasts, we would be looking for poisoned bananas on the internet.

[fgrsk8r1970]

bjd - I am so bad with sizes, as my brain wants to still think metric but has been brainwashed with inches etc. LOL so I found this on the internet and actually a really cute video with it. I have never seen them like that but at our friends place they have so many trees to play in - they don't usually come on the patio. The two babies as precious and I have seen them too but was never able to photograph them as well since the mommas are usually very quick to keep their babies safe.
www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2009/11/cute-endangered-animal-mono-titi

Kerouac - That's funny, I just imagine a house turned upside down by them... especially after watching the video and one starting to fold the floor mat ha ha.

[bjd]

It's really a shame that their numbers have dropped so dramatically -- as per the information with your video.

I can't understand that people would want to take such animals so they can show off their exotic pets.

[fgrsk8r1970]

bjd - I know, sometimes I just don't get the human race

[fgrsk8r1970]

OK, while my dad is doing dishes.... a few more Costa Rica photos without Animals in them

Town of Quepos

[bixaorellana]

Adorable monkey pictures! Thanks for the video, too, as it gives a good idea of their size.

Beautiful beach and the plane looks just like the one in Lost, with the statues with the dope in them.

[Deleted]

Of course I love the street scenes. And I love it when people buy pieces of airplanes to use in unusual ways.

Were the waiters really at risk? (a road to cross or something?)

[fgrsk8r1970]

Actually they could be at risk, as they have a couple of tables on the other side of the drive way from the restaurant overlooking the ocean from way up top.... and it's kind of on a hill, so you have to drive up with a bit of gusto. So yes... it could be dangerous

[nycgirl]

Beautiful photos! The mono titi monkeys are so adorable. Seeing their antics must be endlessly entertaining.

You're very lucky to have such interesting, nature-loving friends to visit.

[fgrsk8r1970]

Thank you NYCgirl - yes we are very very lucky!!! And you'd think after all this time the monkeys playing would be old news, but it just NEVER gets old so much fun to watch!

[lugg]

The mono titis are really cute. It is good to know that they have not been influenced to become aggressive by humanity

After seeing these latest pics I now want to visit even more.

[fgrsk8r1970]

Thanks lugg.... it is a beautiful place but I also have to say that we have been pretty lucky to have great friends and get this very "non-touristic" experience in a setting so peaceful and lush