La péninsule de Osa est là où se trouve mon parc national préféré au Costa Rica, le Parc National Corcovado. Ce parc est l'endroit au monde ou l'on retrouve la plus grande diversité biologique de la planète. Considéré par plusieurs biologistes comme un mini-Amazone, ce parc couvre une superficie de 103 259 acres (environ 425 km carrés). Il y tombe en moyenne 8 mètres de pluie par année. En plus de la forêt tropicale humide, on y retrouve plusieurs habitats distincts tel que des forêts de palétuviers, de palmiers rares (jolillo) et la montagne et autres.
Cette année, nous ne sommes pas entrés dans le parc à proprement parler. Depuis quelques années, il est devenu plus compliqué de parcourir les sentiers de ce joyau naturel. Trop de touristes se sont perdus et ont, malheureusement, perdu la vie. Suite à ces drames, le MINAE (l'équivalent du Ministère des ressources naturelles), à décidé de resserrer la vis et il faut maintenant réserver son admission à l'avance et être accompagné d'un guide officiel. Le bon vieux temps ou Jacques et moi y allions seuls et quand bon nous semblait est révolu.
Heureusement plusieurs lodges de la région, situés en bordure du parc, possèdent des sentiers privés et participent à la conservation des habitats. Nous sommes allés passer cinq jours à Cabo Matapalo, chez Van à Tucan Terra, dans une jolie maison de deux étages que nous avons loué en entier avec nos amis néo-zélandais. Cinq jours de "Wow! Ha! Ouf! Ho!". Nous y avons vu les quatre variétés de singes présents au Costa Rica (capucin à face blanche, hurleur, araignée et écureuil), des grenouilles vénéneuses (Dendrobates auratus), des grands aras rouges, des toucans, et plein d'autres merveilleuses créatures en plus de paysages à vous couper le souffle.
One of my favorite place is in the Osa peninsula, the Corcovado National park. This park is the place on earth where there is the most biodiversity and is considered by many biologist to be like a mini-Amazon. It covers 103 259 acres (425 square km). The average yearly rain fall is 8 meters. Many different habitats can be found in Corcovado, rare jolillo palms growth, mangroves, tropical forests and more.
This year, we did not go in the park itself. It is now much more complicated to go in to walk the trails of the jewel of nature that is Corcovado. Too many tourists lost the path and their lives. Daredevils would walk outside the trails, never to be found again. The authorities, the MINAE (The Ministry of Natural resources equivalent) did not have a choice, they had to tighten the rules. So now, you have to hire an official guide and reserve your pass some time ahead to be able to go in the park. The good old times, when Jack and me used to walk the trails all by our selves are no more.
Fortunately, many lodges around the park have there own trails and help to preserve the habitats. We spent five days at Van's place, the Tucan Terra in Cabo Matapalo, in a two story house that we rented with our New Zealander friends. Five days of "Wow! Ha! Ouf! Ho!". We saw the four species of monkeys that live in Costa Rica (white face monkey, howlers, spiders and squirrels), and poisonous frogs (Dendrobates auratus), great scarlet macaws, toucans and amazing landscapes.
One of my favorite place is in the Osa peninsula, the Corcovado National park. This park is the place on earth where there is the most biodiversity and is considered by many biologist to be like a mini-Amazon. It covers 103 259 acres (425 square km). The average yearly rain fall is 8 meters. Many different habitats can be found in Corcovado, rare jolillo palms growth, mangroves, tropical forests and more.
This year, we did not go in the park itself. It is now much more complicated to go in to walk the trails of the jewel of nature that is Corcovado. Too many tourists lost the path and their lives. Daredevils would walk outside the trails, never to be found again. The authorities, the MINAE (The Ministry of Natural resources equivalent) did not have a choice, they had to tighten the rules. So now, you have to hire an official guide and reserve your pass some time ahead to be able to go in the park. The good old times, when Jack and me used to walk the trails all by our selves are no more.
Fortunately, many lodges around the park have there own trails and help to preserve the habitats. We spent five days at Van's place, the Tucan Terra in Cabo Matapalo, in a two story house that we rented with our New Zealander friends. Five days of "Wow! Ha! Ouf! Ho!". We saw the four species of monkeys that live in Costa Rica (white face monkey, howlers, spiders and squirrels), and poisonous frogs (Dendrobates auratus), great scarlet macaws, toucans and amazing landscapes.
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| El Golfo Dulce |
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| Rivière sur la route de Cabo Matapalo A river on the way to Cabo Matapalo |
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| Notre maison à Tucan Terra Our house at Tucan Terra |
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| Lever de soleil sur le Golfo Dulce Sunrise on the Golfo Dulce |
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| Lever de soleil vu de notre patio Sunrise from our patio |
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| Caracara à tête jaune Yellow-headed Caracara |
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| Ara rouge / Scarlet Macaw |
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| Aigle noir / Common Black Hawk |
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| Héliconia / Heliconiaceae |
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| Les mauvais garçons! The bad boys! |
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| Ils ne sont pas contents de nous voir. They're not happy to see us. |
Chaque jour plusieurs singes nous rendaient visite sur la propriété. En autre, un clan de singes hurleurs, nous avons pu photographier un des bébés.
Every day many monkeys were coming to visit us around the house. We were able to photograph a baby howler.
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| Toucan de Swainson / Chestnut-mandibles Toucan |
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| Toucan de Swainson / Chestnut-mandibles Toucan |
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| Une araignée / a spider |
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| Iguane verte / Green iguana |
