Day 3: Iguana See Some Bats

¡Que pasa! Zoey the bat lover here to deliver today's blog. We started off our day with packing up and heading to our new hotel for the next night. On the way, we stopped for some iguana sight-seeing and ice cream, costs covered by our awesome tour guide. ¡Gracias Luigi!





After a show-stopping performance of the Macarena from everybody, we arrived at the Selva Verde Lodge. After a short period of down time, we were on the road again heading for the Tirimbina Biological Reserve, a familiar location to me. We had a brief hike in the rainforest, guided by William, who's been biological researcher for six years.



After crossing a very long bridge (around 250 meters, or 820 feet), it started to thunder and rain, so we turned around and headed right back. By the time we were back under a roof, many of us were soaked to the bone. After taking a moment to attempt to dry off, we went upstairs to learn all about... BATS!!




Did you know that some bats echolocate with their nose? Or that Costa Rica has 119 different species of bats? We learned all this and more in a lesson from William. (One more fact: bats make up 21% of all mammal species on earth). We then went to set up an experiment about guano, or bat poop, with results to come tomorrow.





After making a stop back at the hotel to change into dry clothes, we went back to Tirimbina for a dinner of beans and rice. Afterwards, we learned about the different diets and adaptations of bats. We were then able to get a close-up look of four different bats that had been caught for observation. I'll leave you with one last bat fact before we rest for part two of tomorrow's research: the order that bats belong to is called Chiroptera, comes from the greek words cheir meaning hand, and pteron meaning wing. Until tomorrow, ¡Buenos noches!



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Day 2: Ziplines & Volcanoes & Farms, oh my!

Image
Our first full day in Costa Rica was jammed packed with stunning views, delicious food, thrilling ziplines, hot springs, and bus sing-alongs. Luigi going over our plan for the day  We began our morning with breakfast overlooking the beautiful Arenal Volcano (named after the lava that would disintegrate into sand at the foot of the mountain). After a delicious breakfast buffet we headed off to one of the most anticipated activities on our itinerary: ziplining! After a serene gondola ride we emerged above the canopy and were greeted by the most picturesque hand ever.  A big theme of our trip so far has been trying new things and having new experiences. The group crushed it with everyone  attempting the first zipline. Seasoned zippers and newcomers alike took to the line and gave it a try, which is a testament to the bravery and resilience of this whole group.  Arenal Volcano on a rare (mostly) clear day! After all our feet were back on terra firma we headed off to the ...
Read more

Day 9: Canopy Lines, Tarzan Swings, and Waterfalls!

Image
Hey there! It's Phin. To my mom and dad specifically: I am, in fact, alive and well. I miss you. Okay, enough of the mushy-mushy stuff. Let's get into the action, shall we? Today started off great -- a bumpy ride in the back of a pickup truck -- and only got better. First, we got harnessed up to go canopying (imagine a zipline. Now imagine that you are below the tops of the trees.) As always, the wait was the worst part. Once we got going, though? Incredible. It was really a fantastic feeling to zoom through the trees, and the views were beautiful. At one point, there was a canopy line which went over the river; I think it was my favorite one. No phones on the lines, so enjoy this very safe chaperone selfie :) After that, we had lunch and a short break to collect ourselves before the next activity: a tarzan swing. "What is a tarzan swing?" I hear you ask. Never fear, for I am here to answer your questions! A tarzan swing is a long bungee cord which you hook a harness ...
Read more

Day 1: Planes, Planes, and Automobiles!

Image
Nothing makes a full day of travel more enjoyable than a 3:30 AM start time! Our intrepid travelers arrived at Bradley International Airport bright and early ready to embark on what would be an exhausting but rewarding day of flights, bus rides, and rice and beans (and beans and rice). The morning started with an awe-inspiring rendition of "Happy Birthday" for Phin who celebrated his 16th birthday with us!  Southwest Airlines was even kind enough to bring him balloons! After two relatively uneventful flights we arrived safely in San Jose, Costa Rica and met up with our legendary guide, Luigi. Before embarking on our 3-hour drive through San Carlos National Park we stopped for our first taste of Costa Rican food. The aforementioned rice and beans (and beans and rice) were a considerable upgrade from our breakfasts of airport Dunkin' sandwiches and McDonalds pancakes. After our scenic drive filled with dogs, cats, and lightning, we arrived at Magic Mountain Hotel- our home ...
Read more