Crocodile
Bay April Eco-Report
By Alberto Herrera - Eco Director
Paradise
of the Monkeys
Crocodile
Bay Resort is located on the Osa Peninsula on the
Southwestern section of Costa Rica and some people call it
the paradise of the monkeys. Why? Because the Osa Peninsula
is often labeled as the most biodiverse area in the world,
and only in the Osa can one view all four species of Costa
Rica’s indigenous monkeys in the same place! In the
Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica conserves the largest primary forest
on the American Pacific coastline and one of the few remaining
sizeable areas of lowland rainforests in the world, which
will ensure that the paradise of the monkeys will continue
to be a safe haven for decades to come.
Among
the monkeys of Costa Rica we have:
Spider
Monkey (mono araña) Ateles geoffroyi
It
is the largest monkey in Costa Rica, with very long limbs
and tail. Its tail is used as an extra hand (called a prehensile
tail). At the same time it’s the only monkey without
a thumb! They live in the primary forest but they travel to
other eco systems looking for fruit, which it is their main
diet staple.
White
Face Capuchin Monkey (Mono Carablanca) Cebus capucinos
They
travel through all levels of the forest in troops of up to
30 individuals. They are omnivorous, fruits and insects being
their staples. These guys at times kill each other or other
kinds of monkeys for territory protection. These monkeys are
the third most intelligent terrestrial mammals in the world
after humans and the chimpanzee!
Squirrel
Monkey (Mono Ardilla) Saimiri oesterdii
We
cannot forget the smallest and cutest of the monkeys! This
is one of the most beautiful of the monkeys with their small
size and cute little face. It is found only in the Manuel
Antonio National Park (Central Pacific coast), Osa Peninsula
and Panama border. Squirrel Monkeys forage manly in the middle
and lower level of the forest for insects, spiders, small
fruits, leaves, nectar, bark and small vertebrates (including
lizards, bird, frogs and bats).
Howler
Monkey (Mono Congo) Alouata palliata.
This
monkey logically gets its name from it’s howl-like call
that echoes through the jungle as it spends most of its time
resting on branches of tall trees. It usually stays high in
the tree branches because their diet consists of just leaves
and their digestive process is bacterial based. Howlers move
slowly through the trees, eating as they go. You can hear
the males from more than 2 miles away in dense forest, and
you will be astounded that all that noise comes from just
an average sized monkey!
Crocodile
Bay is surrounded by mangrove forests, which Squirrel and
White Face Monkeys use to travel around and look for food.
It offers a wonderful opportunity to see them as their troops
move around the area, and is only yards from the swimming
pool. But if you want to be experience a Zen-like feeling
while centered in the middle of the rainforest viewing the
animals in their emerald wonderland, you should take some
of our tours to the Osa Rainforest or Corcovado National Park,
and learn that for many, this paradise is not just for the
monkeys!
Check Availability at Crocodile Bay
Resort!
Alberto
Herrera,
Crocodile Bay Resort
Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica
View
more Costa Rica eco tour photos at Crocodile Bay Resor
