Osa Peninsula - Day One

Puerto Jimenez, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. We arrived by boat, crossing the warm waters of el Golfito Dulce (Sweet Little Golf). With us wrapped up in a tarp, our long and narrow (seaworthy?...not!!) vessel got tossed about in the developping waves, as a downpour chased us across the bay. We shared the fare with Mark and Vera of Germany.

Animales del Bosque de la Peninsula Osa, Costa Rica, a biodiverse tract of land in need of protection.

From Puerto Jimenez, we took a day hike with bilingual Guide Carlos, a university graduate specializing in wildlife and botany, through the Matapalo Reserve. A handful of surfers were enjoying the ample sized waves of the Pacific Coast while we got an eyeful of species, most of which only the trained eye would spot. Lorraine of England and I were joined by two nurses from Nantes, France, Juliette and Abdulla, the latter being of Algerian descent. I acted as translator for this couple, as they did not speak Spanish and had limited English.

The vine like Matapalo (kill-stick) is a tree in these parts that grows up other trees, using them as hosts. A few vines circle around the tree, eventually growing wide enough around the tree to join itself and form a new skin-bark for the original tree, absorbing the old tree´s nutrients. The tree inside is strangled and decomposes. The other unusual tree is called the Cara Tigre and has a square trunk.

Here are the critters we spotted on our day hike of the Osa Peninsula along the ocean and up into the reserve along river beds leading to cascading water falls. I encourage an internet search for animals of Panama where I am certain you will be able to find sample pictures of these stunning jungle creatures.

Lapa Roja (Scarlet Macaw) We saw so many, that when they took shelter in the trees just prior to a rain shower, the tree appeared like a giant flowering plant full of bright red blossoms. They screech like parrots (a bit annoying actually) but to see them in flight is breathtaking. They fly in pairs and mate for life. So you typically see two very close together -- be it in the tree or in the air. Their tales are longer than their bodies and they have an enormous wingspan.

Tucan o Quioro (chestnut mandibled toucan) These black birds are very chatty and curious. Their yellow and orange bills look far too heavy for flight. The bills are actually hollow and I was able to pet the ones owned by our inn keepers on Bocas del Toro.

Gauilan cangrerero (common black/roadside hawk) These birds sit in branches along the roads or fields awaiting small rodents. When in flight, they have white tipped fingerlike plumage, typical of most hawks.

Oso Peresoso tres dedos (three toed sloth) Lazy bones, these gray teddy bears move through the trees at a snail´s pace, in part because the leaves they feed on have a doping effect which keeps them in a semi-sluggish state. The male has a black stripe of hair down his back. Their toes are actually claws. I am told that predators (like crocodiles) will wait for them to come down from the tree, when they are most vulnerable. Sloths come down the tree once per week in order to defecate. They will dig a small hole in the ground for this purpose and bury it when finished. As they do not have feet made to run on the ground, they can be an easy target. Crocodiles will wait for over a week if need be.

Pisote (racoon family) During our picnic at the surfboard hut, a couple brave pisotes neared the table in hopes of getting a taste of our tuna fish sandwiches and fresh avocado. Long black and grey striped tails, chunky bodies and possom faced, they still behaved like racoons.

Mono Titi (squirrel monkey) Clever, playful and agile. What a giggle we had watching these aerial acrobats. Babies on backs of mothers and juveniles in chase. They crossed our paths several times and in a few different locations in Panama.

Mono Congo Auyador (howler monkey) If you wonder when it is going to rain, don´t worry, the howler monkeys will alert you about twenty minutes in advance of the rain. Almost like howling dogs, the howler will bark in excitement. They love the rain, as it cools them down. I was surprised with the amount and high decible of noise which travels a great distance through the jungle.

Mono Cara Blanca - Capuchin (White-faced or cappuchino monkey) As the name suggests, they are the color of coffee and have white faces. We placed a banana in the crotch of a tree branch to lure one down for a better view. She was happy to oblige, snatching the banana before her brother could get to it. They spend much of their time teasing and do, in fact, groom one another with great affection.

El Tamandua (ant eater) He was in the tree snorting around for ants and termites. The termite nests are abundant in the trees, and look like large brown chunks of dirt balled up and encircling the limbs of trees. Our guide showed us how the termites create hidden path from the groud up the tree trunk to their nest. Scraping away the camouflaged trail reveals thousands of hungry little insects whose main goal is to chew! The ant eater seems to have an abundance of food and quite a snout for rooting out termite delicacies. The ant eater we spotted was shy and slow, pretty high up in the tree and able to cross into other trees with his long and powerful silver-grey legs and tail.

Mariposa Morfo Azul (blue morph butterfly). She is brilliant blue in flight and looks like a dry dead brown leaf when pearched on a plant with wings closed. This is an evolutionary camouflage to protect her from getting gobbled up by birds, lizards and snakes.

Arana Dorada (Golden Spider) Glad to learn more about these spiders AFTER the bat caves of Bocas. These golden speckled black spiders have a red dot on their belly which could make you pretty ill but probably not fatal to a full grown adult. Their webs were along several of the senderos.

Colibri (hummingbird). Plentiful and quick, the vibration of their wings sounds like a giant bumble bee. So many colors and miniature shapes and sizes, my favourite the one inch, three gram, emerald ones with purple throats. They must be careful not to land on the wrong flowering Eliconia (birds of paradise). Although the nectar of this plant is delicious, the green vine snake often awaits them, curled around the stem and a perfect color match that frightened me, as I never knew if I was seeing the plant stock or a snake.

Jesus Christ Lizard. Called thus, because the have the ability to walk, or should I say dash, across the water in an upright position.

The plant which continues to amaze me the most is called the sleepyhead, dormilona. When you touch the leaves of this fern, she shrinks away, withdrawing her leaves back to the stem (useful in avoiding damage from rain and other natural disasters).

In most cases, tipping your guide is a good idea, as they get very little of the money that is collected from the tour company that sets of these excursions. Even five extra dollars can cover the meals for their family for the day.

We returned from our hike to learn that our bags had been packed for us and we had been relocated from Iguana Iguana Hotel to Marciela´s Cabinas, run by a lovely woman by the name of Magda(lena). We were so relieved, as the Iguana was a breeding ground for insects, our rooms having been taken over by spiders and ants. Our new rooms were spotless and with a.c.
As it turns our, Mark and Vera of Germany, and Juliette and Abdulla of France were all staying here. We had a good fun chatting into the night with our new friends. Let`s just say it was an evening of Cuba Libres. This was the night we strolled down to what would be an empty pub and the boys tending bar were watching a risque program. We didn`t stay (honest!).
On the return to the hotel, we met a horse tied up on the roadside, standing in the mud on the edge of a bog. We gave her some carresses and listened to monotonous frogs.
I fell asleep quickly, only to learn the next morning that Steve, Dale and Lorraine stayed up taking silly pictures of each other... and a couple of the sleeping angel (me!).