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Tropical Field Courses
Photos, Images and Movies Copyright R. Hays Cummins. Authorization Required. For permission, contact haysc@muohio.edu
Use "Pop-Ups" below to select Costa Rica Slideshows and Videos!
Here, you will find a vast array of tropical ecosystem images, photos, and movies taken while teaching my Tropical Ecosystems of Costa Rica course. You find many images and movies of volcanoes, cloud and lowland forests,
mangroves, bats, birds, snakes, insects, primates, and indigenous peoples, to name a few. It's all here!
Tropical Ecosystems of Costa Rica serves as an intensive introduction to Neotropical ecosystems--how they were
formed, how they are changing. The goal of this course is to introduce students
to the structure and function of Neotropical ecosystems, as well as to geological,
biological, cultural, and economic forces affecting the biodiversity of Costa
Rica. An intensive lecture schedule is combined with firsthand field experiences,
individual and group investigations, emphasizing research methods in tropical
systems. Topics to be covered in depth include the geology of Costa Rica,
tropical ecology, Pre-Columbian to modern patterns of land use in lowland,
premontane, montane, and mangrove ecosystems, experimental design, and the
statistical analysis of data. The course is interdisciplinary. Dr. Cummins
is a paleobiologist and oceanographer; Dr. McCollum is a stream ecologist. Both conduct field research in the tropics. Prerequisites: Two
courses in natural sciences and permission of instructor. Limited scholarships
available. Maximum enrollment: 18. First come, first served.
These tropical ecosystem images, pictures and movies were taken primarily by Hays Cummins! Many photos
are very large and are best viewed using an External Viewer such as Graphic Converter. Configure your browser to have your external viewer open the
images. Then you're all set!
Special: The Darien
Gap is a unique oasis of biological diversity in Panama. This ecosystem
is being threatened by road construction of the Pan American Highway. The
only missing link is a 54-mile stretch through two national parks -- one
in Panama, the other in Colombia -- that contain the Darien Gap's more than
3 million acres of unspoiled wilderness. (Quicktime movie from CNN)
Geology
Rincon de la Vieja, Irazu, and Poas Volcanoes
The entire landscape of Costa Rica has been shaped by plate tectonics and much
of the overall ecologic diversity of the country is due to highly variable geography.
For instance, this coastal rock along the SW Pacific coast, once part of the
sea floor, has been uplifted, Folded and Twisted
(TREC 99) by movements of the earth's crust (another
fantastic perspective in Corcovado).And, Faults
are common (TREC 00). Costa Rica has over 600
extinct and active volcanoes. Volcano
World compiles the latest information on volcanic eruptions in Costa Rica
and also specific volcanoes such as Rincon
de la Vieja.
Rincon Steaming Sulphur in Caldera
(The caldera lake has a pH of <1.0! The picture was taken while lying
on my stomach and stretching over the rim of the caldera.)
Boiling Muds and vents are common along the flanks of the volcano. Here,
the 1992 class gets "all
muddied up" in the boiling muds.
Rincon Caldera Edge Eric, an Institute of Environmental Science Student, having a
blast on the caldera edge!
Volcan Irazu or the "Powder Keg of Nature" is over 3400 meters
tall! The last significant eruptions were between 1962-1965. One
of the Four Craters is shown here.
A close-up of Poas Sulfur Smokers on the left and the acidic caldera lake on the right.
The Great Earthquake of 1991
In April, 1991, a major earthquake, magnitude 7.4, struck Costa Rica. The epicenter
was near Limon on the Caribbean coast. Damage was extensive to buildings, streets
and bridges. Later, after heavy rains, tree falls from the quake were washed
into rivers and eventually created dams which soon broke and caused further
destruction of bridges. Today, geologic evidence of the quake consists of a
general 1.5 meter uplift of the land along the CR southeast coast. Fringing
reef is now emergent even at high tide. In the pictures below, note the bio-erosive
notch now over a meter above sea level. The upper notch was once the former
sea level location before the quake.
Uplifted "Notch"on the right. Note a new notch at today's sea level has formed
in the six years since the quake. An uplifted coral platform is
on the left. ('97)
Many if the beaches south of Limon are dominated by very fine
grained Black Sands. ('97) (Another Black Sand Perspective) What is the origin of these sands? Mineral composition?
Yes, we did go past the "Dead
Sign." Kind of makes you go Hmmm......Boulders were rolling down
the slopes like huge Bowling Balls. Absolutely Amazing! (We were out of
harm's way!) (TREC 00)
More "out-of-control"
boulders along the active western flank. The dark flank is literally
"peppered" with falling boulders as indicated by the "exploding
white puffs." Can you figure out how fast these boulders are
moving? Amazing!!(TREC 99)
A tour of the active areas of the western flank. There
is a whole bunch of activity going on here. I always had the
feeling that the volcano could explode at any time! This volcano
is unbelievable. (TREC 99)
Huge Boulders continually run down the flanks of Arenal
forming a "Boulder Chute." The boulders roll down
the mountain as a result of frequent earthquakes and gravity. (TREC 00)
A Quicktime Video of Corcovado National Park at Sirena. Double Click on the image above to view quicktime.
Includes squirrel monkeys, tapirs, etc.
Reptiles
Snakes
These two snake species were a first for me! Both were found about 1.5 meters above the ground attached to epiphytic vegetation at night at Almonds and Corals
along the SE Caribbean Costa Rica coast. The first is a rear-fanged (venomous) juvenile frog eating snake Leptodeira septentrionalis Slide A- head-on shot,
Slide B-Head Shot with White Nuchal Hood, and Slide C--Body with
Hood. Snake #2 is the specialized snail- and slug-eating Snake Sibon nebulata, a nocturnal and arboreal snake. Slide A--a side view
and Slide B--another side shot. Wow! (TREC 03)
At Corcovado National Park on the Osa Peninsula at the Sirena Field Station, my team teacher, Donna McCollum, spotted a huge Terciopelo (Bothrops asper) next to the Buttress of a huge tree right next to the trail. Wow! (Summer 2007)
Terciopelos (Bothrops asper)are one of the most deadly pit vipers in Central America. Adults
can reach 2.5 meters in length. This Juvenile was spotted after
15 people walked over him on a trail in Corcovado National Park.
('97)
Sometimes juveniles are called "Yellow Tails." Supposedly, juveniles use the tail to attract lizards.
After teaching in Costa Rica for ten years, we finally came across two Terciopelos in one year! (TREC 01)
A student narrowly missed stepping on the first Terciopelo at Drake Bay Wilderness Resort. It then crawled into a bush where I proceeded to take photos of it.
This snake was about 50 cm long. What an absolutely beautiful
specimen! I included a closer fantastic "blow-up" of
its head region. Note the tongue and characteristic "pits." And, no, it didn't strike at me. Wow!!
After teaching in Costa Rica for 12 wonderful years, we finally came
across a "golden morph"
Eyelash Viper (Bothriechis schlegelii) at La Selva. Wow! This beautiful specimen was about 1 meter long! Did you know that
their "pits" can "see down" below their head level? (TREC 03)
Press Browser RELOAD after each eyelash viper Bothriechis schlegelii image request! (TREC 03)
Quicktime Movie! Prior to arriving in Costa Rica, I spent time in southern Louisiana
at Jean Lafitte National Park. Here are two movies of a blue runner,
Coluber constrictor, (1)first stalking and (2)then capturing an anolis lizard. (TREC 99)
Quicktime Movie!!
Iguanas (Iguana iguana) are raised by the Bri Bri for food and conservation
purposes. Young lizards are initially caged and protected from predators.
Most iguanas are released to the wild but some are eaten for their meat. A
young Bri Bri swings on a hammock. (TREC 99)
An American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) slowly slides
down the bank of the Tempisque River in Palo Verde National Park.
It is low tide. The croc has
a food item in its mouth!(TREC 00)
Rodeo Spider with a "Rope" awaits in ambush. (It is
most likely an orgre-faced spider, dinopidea. They hang upside down and cast an expandable web over
their prey: Monteverde Preserve.
I know, it's out of place BUT....We saw the most AMAZING Manta Rays (probably
devil rays (Mobula sp.)) jumping out of the water along the Pacific
coast. Here is a group frozen in time
while this one is all by himself.INCREDIBLE!
(TREC 99)
Predatory Cricket Eating a Moth(Monteverde: I never knew some crickets are very cagey predators!
The moth has its wings pinned down on the leaf. You can see the
prey's eyes.)
Mysterious slimy, silky threads
hanging underneath a log. Our guide said that they were made from the larva
of an insect that catches its prey in the webs!
Millipedes are quite common in the
lowland rainforests of CR. This guy was about 10 cm long! If you hassle them,
they emit cyanide gas which has a distinct almond smell.
We found a mating pair of scorpions on our night hike along the SE Caribbean coast at Almonds and Corals. Slides are: A gentle "Handshake,"
SLide B-the "handshake" close-up and
Slide C-a head-shot. (TREC 03)
Caterpillar (Guanacaste dry forest,
NW Costa Rica)
Cecropia trees are a common site in disturbed areas such as along trails, bordering
roadways and agricultural fields, and in recent "light gaps" created
by tree falls in the rainforest. Sometimes, if you're real lucky,
you can spot Sloths near the crown of Cecropia trees! Here is another Distant Sloth at Almonds & Corals, SE Costa Rica.
And Another One!
Check out this spectacular Sloth Taking Shelter under a roof!
This summer, we spotted another Banded Anteater Tamandua mexicana foraging on the ground and in the trees at La Sirena in Corcovado National Park. What an impressive animal! (Summer 2007)
A fantastic quicktime movie series of a two-toed sloth (Choloepus
hoffmanni)caught on his way down the trunk of a roadside Cecropia.Note
the green algal tint to its fur. Near Arenal Volcano (TREC 99)
The sloth seems to be
coming to a decision as it moves too and fro. Note that
a two-toed sloth has two "toes" on its front limbs
and three "toes" on its hind limbs. (TREC 99)
Taking photos of primates near the tops of the canopy requires luck and persistence. This year, we saw all four Costa Rican
Primate species--Howler, Spider, Squirrel,
and White-face Capuchins. Photos from Corcovado National Park and Manzanillo Refuge in SE Costa Rica. Sometimes you get lucky!
I've seen Botflies on several people over the years.
This year, I spotted a troop of
Howler Monkeys (Alouatta palliata) at
Gandoca along the SE Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. (TREC 05)
For the first time in my life, we encountered squirrel monkeys (Saimiri oerstedii) in a wild setting--Sirena River, Corcovado National Park. The experience wa
nothing short of amazing! The amount of activity (movement, noise, excitement) was incredible.
And, where would we be without some White-faced capuchins(Cebus capucinus)? A group moved into a fruit tree and went to town
at San Pedrillo. (TREC 01)
This year, we visited the Sirena Field Station in Corcovado. What a wild and beautiful place!
Spider monkeys were abundant!
Many had youngsters with them. (30mb) They were mesmerizing!(TREC 01)
Tropical rainforests are famous for the many fascinating symbiotic relationships
that have evolved over millions of years. Acacia sp. trees have developed
an intimate relationship with a a small 6 mm long ant (Pseudomyrmex ferruginea).The
trees provide the ants with a place to live and eat while the ants enthusiastically
protect the trees from herbivores and vines.
Tons of Beltian Bodies (The beltian
bodies are the yellow sac-like structures on the tips of these new leaves.
They are filled with sugar and nutrients produced by the plant. What herbivore
in its right mind would take a chance eating these new leaves with all these
ants hanging out?)
Beltian bodies come in different colors. Here are some Yellow
and Brown Beltian Bodies from
Palo Verde National Park. (TREC 00)
Leaf cutters (Atta cephalotes)are found through out the Neotropics.
These social creatures have a caste system consisting of the queen, female
workers and large soldiers, and a few males. This smaller
leaf cutter is standing guard on a leaf carried by a larger worker. It
is protecting the larger worker carrying the leaf from parasatoid wasps! Here
is another example of hitchhikers
that aren't there for the free ride! (TREC 98) & (TREC 99)
Here is another perspective! The herbivores
probably protect themselves from predators such as birds
by 1) looking like thorns and from ants 2)by smelling like
ants. Amazing! (TREC 00)
Beautiful Amphibian Pictures
--Check out this beautiful Quicktime Movie (~700k) " A
Costa Rica Frog Potpourri"
This Dink Frog was making a Get-a-Way
through a hole in the leaf. Check it out!
Male Tree Frog in a Pond (Drake
Bay: One breeding pond can contain many frog species all trying their
best. This pond had at least five species calling at once.)
Have you ever lost your grip? Well, keep hanging
on! You never know what might happen.
This beautiful crab was found
in the mangroves along the Sierpe River.Note the hairy legs! Another perspective
of this hairy crustacean! (TREC 98)
In 1998, we stayed for part of the course at the Mangrove
Inn in Bocas del Torro, Panama. Our dwellings were in the mangroves and
adjacent to pristine coral reefs and seagrass ecosystems.
The Sierpe River is a beautiful estuary.
Towards the river mouth, many distributaries branch away from the main channel.
There are thousands of hectares of mangroves
that line the banks of the Sierpe River's
Winding Waterways.
Red Mangrove Root Matrix(Low tide, Sierpe River, SW Costa River) When we were there in late May,
many of the Red Mangroves were Flowering!
Mangroves (The mangroves
with the flanged buttresses, Pellicera rhizophorae, are endemic to
CR and Panama on the Pacific coast. Students at work: Biological Survey, Sierpe
River. Note the high concentration of Lenticels
on this Pellicera rhizophorae buttress. (TREC 98)
Dan, Stephanie and Jill contemplate
the identity of organisms in the intertidal area along the Sierpe River. No
one knew the ID of this gastropod.
(TREC 98)
Some mangroves generate unusual fruits maximized for survival in a harsh
environment. Here is a Pellicera rhizophoraeFruit1,
Fruit2, and a Seedling
(the little guy!) trying to get established. The red mangrove Fruit
gets a "head start" while still attached to the parent plant.
Lianas dominate the lowland rainforests of Corcovado. Note the Monkey
Puzzle Liana! (TREC 97)
Strangler Figs (Ficus sp.)Are
amazing trees. What an amazing life cycle. They are also important sources
of food for birds and monkeys. And, they are huge! (Corcovado, TREC 97)
Cano Island also had some huge Strangler
Figs! Note the huge Buttresses! Scott is shown for scale. (TREC 98)
Note the Darkness on the Forest
Floor in a typical lowland tropical forest. Scott took a 2 second
exposure. (TREC 98)
There were numerous Tree Falls
this past year (TREC 97) probably from the heavy rains generated by Hurricane
Cesar(96). Light gaps seemed to be everywhere. (Corcovado National Park)
This Floral Stalk has sequential
flowering, just what the hummingbirds ordered. The flowers on the right have
already bloomed and moved out of the way for the next set! (Monteverde Cloud
Forest)
The dense green forest is often Punctuated
by Trees in Bloom. Our guide called this a May Tree because it always
blooms in May. (Violin Island, SW Costa Ri
Above the tree line at 3300 meters, Thistles
Become Common. At lower elevations (2500 meters), we explored a unique
vegetation zone along Hwy 1. The soil was wet, Sphagnum moss was common,
and the area was open. Cycads and Yuca-like
Bromeliads were everywhere. (TREC 97)
Iguanas are raised by the
Bri Bri for food and conservation purposes. Young lizards are
initially caged and protected from predators. Most iguanas are released
to the wild but some are eaten for their meat. A young Bri Bri swings
on a hammock. (TREC 99)
At Corcovado near the Sirena Field Station, we spotted a a beautiful Barred Woodcreeper (Dendrocolaptes sanctithomae). NOTE:
Note: This species was recently split into two, one in Central America & one in South America. The Costa Rican bird is now known as the "Northern Barred-Woodcreeper" and its scientificic name has been changed to Dendrocolaptes sanctithomae (Summer 2007)
A spectacular Gray Hawk (Buteo nitidus) was perched next to the road as we moved downslope from Monetverde to Tileran on the way to Arenal.
What a beautiful Gray Hawk!
At Monteverde, we saw two birds of note that I did not have photographs of--a Mottled Owl and a Gray-throated Leaftosser. There were also a few other notable species as well (Spring 2007).
We saw quite a few wonderful birds as part of the Earth Expeditions 2006 trip. Here are the birds of note from Monteverde Preserve.
A fantastic Spangled-Cheeked Tanager (Tangara dowii), a life first for me. We encountered a flock of these spectacular Tanagers along the Sky Trek walking trails in
Santa Elena near Monteverde. Wow! (Earth Expeditions 06) NOTE: Just "Click" on the IMAGE to view the largest photo
And of course, no visit to Monteverde is complete without spotting a Resplendent Quetzals (Pharomachrus mocinno) or two.
Here is a beautiful male caught in the early morning light at the entrance to the Monteverde Preserve. (Earth Expeditions 06) NOTE: Just "Click" on the IMAGE to view the largest photo
A Three-striped Warbler (Basileuterus tristriatus) sits still just long enough for me to take a photo in the Monteverde Preserve
(Earth Expeditions 06) NOTE: Just "Click" on the IMAGE to view the largest photo
Here are the birds of note we saw in the Arenal Volcano region from the Earth Expeditions 2006 Costa Rica course. (Earth Expeditions 06) NOTE: Just "Click" on the IMAGE to view the largest photo
Here are the birds of note we saw in the La Selva Tropical Research Center area from the Earth Expeditions 2006 Costa Rica course. (Earth Expeditions 06) NOTE: Just "Click" on the IMAGE to view the largest photo
One of the most spectacular estuaries in SW Costa Rica can be found along the Sierpe River. Here are a few photos of birds we encountered in the adjacent banana plantations and along the Sierpe River. Amazing!
(TREC 06) NOTE: Just "Click" on the IMAGE to view the largest photo!
Corvovado National Park in the Osa Peninsula--San Pedrillo trail (TREC 06) NOTE: Just "Click" on the IMAGE to view the largest photo!
In Corcovado National Park along the San Pedrillo Trail, we came across a spectacular pair of Black-throated Trogons (Trogon rufus). While the female
Black-throated Trogon is beautiful, the male trogon is spectacular!. Here are some other Black-throated Torgon images--
IMAGE A, IMAGE B.
In Tortuguero along the NE Costa Rica coast, I hoped to find male and female Northern Jacanas Jacana spinosa) along with their chicks.
I was not disappointed! (Earth Expeditions 05) NOTE: Just "Click" on the IMAGE to view the largest photo
At La Selva Tropical Field Station, we encountered many beautiful birds. (Earth Expeditions 05) NOTE: Just "Click" on the IMAGE to view the largest photo
On the road to Hitoy Cerere Reserve in extreme SE Cosat Rica near the Panama border, we spotted several
Black-cheeked Woodpeckers (Melanerpes pucherani)--this ia a male. The male woodpecker tolerated one more photo before it flew away. There was a nest
nearby with a chick in a telephone pole along the road. (TREC 05) NOTE: Just "Click" on the IMAGE to view the largest photo!
Near Gandoca in extreme SW Costa Rica, we spotted several Northern Jacanas
(Jacana spinosa) in the fields adjacent to the road in a variety of poses. besides having an unusual family life with male/female role reversals,
Jacanas are beautiful birds! (TREC 05) NOTE: Just "Click" on the IMAGE to view the largest photo!
After leaving Arenal Volcano, on our way (by bus) to Monteverde just before we reached Tileran, we spotted several Magpie Jays (Calocitta formosa). These are absolutely fantastic birds! Here
is a sideview of a beautiful Magpie Jay.
And, finally, check out the beautiful crest of this Magpie Jay! And, I think this Magpie Jay pose is even better!
(TREC 05) NOTE: Just "Click" on the IMAGE to view the largest photo!
Just outside of Tilearn along the shores of Lake Arenal near Tileran, we also spotted a
beautiful Brown Jay (Psilorhinus morio). Brown Jays are the closest phylogenetic relative of the Magpie Jays. (TREC 05) NOTE: Just "Click" on the IMAGE to view the largest photo!
At La Selva Tropical Field Station, we spotted three King Vultures (Sarcoramphus papa)--an adult male, female and juvenile. I went crazy snapping photos! So,..... a King Vulture sideview.
Here is another sideview perspective including some King Vulture eye glint! (TREC 05) NOTE: Just "Click" on the IMAGE to view the largest photo!
I really get a kick out of watching MONTEZUMA OROPENDULA males (Psarocolius montezuma) calling from the community nest areas near La Selva. Here is an
outstanding photo of a Montezuma Oropendula male.
WOW! (TREC 05) NOTE: Just "Click" on the IMAGE to view the largest photo!
A wonderful Amazon Kingfisher (Chloroceryle amazona)
in the trees along the bank of the beautiful Sierpe River. Check out the size of its enormous Kingfisher bill!
(TREC 05) NOTE: Just "Click" on the IMAGE to view the largest photo!
A flock of Scarlet Macaws (Ara macao) landed in and near an
Almond tree at Drake Bay along the SW coast of Costa Rica near Corcovado National Park. Wow! (TREC 05) NOTE: Just "Click" on the IMAGE to view the largest photo!
At La Sirena in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica, we spotted a flock of Mealy Parrots (Amazona farinosa) high in
the canopy above us. (TREC 05) NOTE: Just "Click" on the IMAGE to view the largest photo!
We surprised a Great Tinamou (Tinamus major) near the Sirena River in Corcovado National Park. (TREC 05) NOTE: Just "Click" on the IMAGE to view the largest photo!
Being from Louisiana, I have a special affinity for Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis)! These individuals were spotted near the San Pedrillo Field Station in Corcovado National Park. (TREC 04)
It's not everyday that one gets to see Roseate Spoonbills (Ajaia ajaja)!
In fact, they are so beautiful that I thought I'd give you another look at these Roseate Spoonbills (Tortuguero region in NE Costa Rica).
Numerous Roseate Spoonbills (Ajaia ajaja) were spotted along the Tortuguero Canal banks! These guys were feeding! NOTE: Just "Click" on the IMAGE to view the largest photo!
I am not certain of this Hummingbird Species! I have tentatively identified it as a Crowned Woodnymph (Thalurania colombica), Corcovado
National Park near Sirena Field Station. (TREC 04)
This bird was spotted in Gandoca along the Caribbean coast. I'm pretty certain that it's a Yellowthroat (Geothylpsis sp.)
warbler. I'd like to see more of the bird though. Any ideas? (TREC 04)
Bats "Hanging Out"(Corcovado:
A typical roosting area for long-nosed bats (Rhynchonycteris naso)at
San Pedrillo Station in Corcovado National Park) Hear is another Close-up
Perspective of the bats.
Three Tent bats roost
beneath an impressive leaf shelter in Monteverde Preserve. This low elevation bat species had never
been seen in Monteverde before--hmm, climate change perhaps? Tenatively identified as (Vampyress thyone), but it could also be a small Artibeus, like A. toltecus or A. phaeotis. (TREC 03)
An Adult Hummingbird getting ready
to fly--the Green-crowned Brilliant (Heliodoxa jacula). Another Hummer at Rest. Costa
Rica can have as many as 800 species of resident and migratory birds present
during certain times of the year.
In SE Louisisana on the north shore of Lake Ponchartrain, we visited the Big Branch Preserve in December, 2005. We came across hundreds of American White Pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) and a few Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis).
At Jean Lafitte National Park, Hurricane Katrina Damage was everywhere as shown in these slides and
Jean Lafitte Quicktime Video. And, there where lots of birds to be seen in the winter landscape.
One turtle species on the verge of extinction is the leatherback turtle, Dermochelys coriacea. Efforts on the conservation of these remarkable reptiles is taking place worldwide. On the Gandoca beach in the Gandoca/Manzanillo
National Wildlife Refuge, 300-1000 females nest between the months
of March and July. We had the pleasure of visiting this beach
and saw many remarkable things. Topping the list was our first
nesting female, and, the next day, witnessing the hatching, and
assisting in the release, of 40 baby leatherbacks. Special thanks
to Karen, Lalo, and Gabe.
Lalo Matute, Community Director of the Gandoca/Manzanillo Sea
Turtle Conservation Project, was our guide the next day. We began
our long five hour hike northwestward along the beach and in the
forest to Almonds & Corals. Along the way, he noticed the footprints
of baby leatherbacks, heading to sea, that had hatched the night
before. Lalo digs into the nest! We gathered all the babies we could.(TREC 98)
In the end, we released about 40 baby turtles to the sea. Here are two crawling on the beach. to the "relative safety" of the sea. Many of the new hatchlings
had already died in the hot sand and sun before we found them.
What a day!
Quicktime Movies of the Gandoca/Manzanillo Sea Turtle Conservation
Project
The class stayed at "host family" houses for the night. Five of us stayed at Lydia's house in Gandoca. The food and hospitality were excellent. Lydia has 13 children
and 65 grandchildren! (TREC 99)
This female leatherback was 147 cm long.
She layed about 80 eggs that were transferred to the hatchery
in a plastic garbage bag. If you look carefully, you can see
the plastic bag catching the eggs as they are layed. The lighting
is poor because we didn't want to disturb the nesting process.
Only
her tail end was illuminated. Wow!! (TREC 99)
In New Orleans, we visited the Aquarium of the Americas on our
way to Costa Rica. Here, I filmed the motions and movements of jellyfish. I'd never get a video like this from the wild! (TREC 99)
Off of Cano Island on the Pacific SW coast, we encountered a "Herd"
of Manta Rays (probably devil rays (Mobula sp.)Hundreds of them were jumping out of the water
like "Flying Tortillas." Here are some of the views during a "rough" boat ride. I have
an Audio of Our First Sighting of these amazing creatures
Some of the acquired land in the Monteverde Preserve was once farm land
and is only now slowly regenerating. Poor
Man's Umbrella Plants are opportunists and tend to be found in many of
these disturbed habitats. Here is a cross-section of a Poor
Man's Umbrella Plant Stem showing the nitrogen fixing nodules of cyanobacteria
embedded within.
Yes folks, we did it. The Santa Elena Sky Trek. Check out this
view from the highest platform. At it's highest point, it is
440 feet above the valley and over 1400 feet long. It was fun. (TREC 00)
Bocas del Toro, Panama: Island
Archipelago. (TREC 98)
These pictures include the flight from Sierpe in SW Costa Rica
to the Panama-Costa Rica border, the border crossing and miscellaneous
pictures from the general area near the town of Bocas.
The class looks beat after a long day in the field and a night of discussion. (TREC
98)
Sierpe River: SW Costa Rica River, Estuarine System and Pacific
Shoreline System
Sierpe River & Pacific Crossing Quicktime Movies
The crossing from the Pacific across the
Sierpe River mouth is often filled with excitement and heightened
awareness levels. The waves are very high, the students are scared
shi......, and even our expert boatmen show some concern.
The Sierpe River is one of the more
important estuaries on the Pacific coast. The mangroves serve as a nesting
and nursery ground for many species. Humans collect thousands of bivalve mollusc,
Anadara, that are processed
for their meat and sold in the restaurants of San Jose. The mollusc blood
is even sold as an aphrodisiac in San Jose bars! These Shell
Processing Sites often include entire families from grandmothers to grandchildren!
Seaward View along the pacific coastline near the Sierpe River mouth. The
coast often consists of numerous Small Islands
of Volcanic Rock. Cano Island Biological Preserve is shown about 20 km
offshore.
Numerous small islands just offshore of the SW Costa Rican shoreline near
the Siepre River mouth serve as essential marine
bird nesting grounds away from the predatory pressures of inland ecosystems.
Caribbean Side: Limon, Manzanillo Refuge and Other Environments
We visit the Bri Bri indigenous people of Southeast CR on each
trip. These Children's mom gave us a tour of their iguana farm and a natural history
lesson on the amazing variety of medicinal plants in her local
forest.
Beautiful Drake Bay Wilderness Camp near Corcovado National Park on an Amazing
Sunny Day! In contrast, the ITCZ can cause some Ferocious
Thunderstorms in late May and early June! This puppy produced about 2.5
inches of rain in one hour.
Meet Pedro and Fernando,
our wonderful guides at Corcovado National Park and Cano Island. These guys
are terrific! (TREC 98)
Many small Costa Rican towns have a central
square surrounded by churches, schools, and homes. For the last several
years, we stayed in the Hotel Amarillo in Palmar Sur in SW Costa Rica. We
played soccer and basketball with CRicans. Lets just say we didn't always
win!
Most of the Close-up Pictures were taken by HaysC
with This Camera! [Canon A2, 100 mm@2.8, a ring flash] Corcovado, TREC'97
The first day on the road--Lunch at a
diner, elevation 2500 meters. (TREC 98)
Chico Corrales, head of Anthropology
and Archeology at the National Museum of Costa Rica, accompanies us and shares
his knowledge for part of the trip. One of Chico's fellow archeologists shows
us a new dig in the forest near the mouth of the Sierpe River.
Rio General River Valley This is a
major river system that eventually flows into the Pacific Ocean.(View from
the bus on the way to Sierpe, SW Costa Rica) Another Rio
General View (A Larger Image)
We had the pleasure of listening to one of Costa Rica's prominent archeologists
Chico lecture on the archeological significance
of stone spheres in the banana fields
near Sierpe (TREC 98)
Banana Plantation Mountain Perspective(SW
Costa Rica near Sierpe). Thousands of acres of lowland rainforest are destroyed
to make habitat for cash crops such as bananas, pineapples & cacao.) Another
Overview Photo of the landscape
perspective of the plantation. Banana Plantations are examples of "Green
Deserts."
The banana plantation has many archeological sites. Here, a student
squats upon one of the many Stone Spheres
common in SW Costa Rica. Some reach diameters of 2 meters!
Bananas in an Insecticide Bag (The
cultivation of bananas is extremely labor intensive. Each banana fruiting
stalk, and there are literally tens of thousands of them, must be bagged like
this one. Many of the trees must also be "roped and staked" to prevent
them from falling over from wind and heavy rains.)
The Bananas are removed
from the floral stalk, rinsed and bagged in huge processing sheds. These bananas
were boxed under the "Imperial" label and shipped to Japan. Many
factory workers--male and female;young and old--work long days during the
banana harvest.
The "Banana Line" in
full swing! These bananas were being prepared for shipment to Japan under
the Imperial label.
Banana Field Worker (These fellows
work hard and long days for low wages. It's hot. The smell of insecticide
fills the air. There are poisonous snakes.)
A new trend in Some Banana Plantations
is to reduce the use of insecticides and herbicides. Generally, the banana
plants are not nearly as tall or productive, but Europeans pay a premium for
the fruit. These plantations get the"Eco OK" certification. They
are in "Harmony with Nature."While
it is a step in the right direction, forest was still destroyed to plant these
bananas. ('97)
Banana Plantation Artwork (SW Costa Rica Banana Processing Plant)
The United Fruit Company dominated the banana plantations in the
early 1900s. Workers at this processing plant near Sierpe painted
beautiful art on the sheet metal wall panels that depicted much
of the history of the hard work, pride and humanity of the workers
in the early 1900s. I learned more from these fantastic paintings
than from my past six visits combined. This artwork belongs in
the National Museum of Costa Rica!
Senior Roberto Cabellero, the plant foreman, was very patient with us. He answered any
and all questions. Thank you very much! (TREC 98)
These modern day processing plant workers are probably much like--in attitude, pride and preserverence--the
laborers of the early 20th century. (TREC 98)
These bananas are the product of the hard work of workers of democratic Costa Rica. Note the link to the United States, (TREC 98)
This worker in the fields is trimming the banana plants with his machete. (TREC 98)
How are bananas brought to the processing plants? Then,
as now, highways of Pulley Systems, (mostly powered by people, not tractors!)
funnel the harvest for trimming, washing and boxing. (TREC 98)
Recent Banana Plantation Artwork (SW Costa Rica Banana Processing
Plant)
More recent artwork was on the Building Supports of the processing plant. Artwork
included numerous "labels" of the popular exports.
The Bri Bri have their own iguana farm in SE Costa Rica. Here,
they raise iguanas. Some are eaten, while others are returned to the Indian
Preserve to restock a diminishing resource. These Two
Iguanas Look Very Healthy! Life is good!'97)
Costa Rican Coffee (Coffea arabica)is world renown and grows quite well in Costa
Rica's highlands. These workers are busily unloading their latest bounty for processing!
Oil Palm Fruits are an important revenue producer. (TREC 98)
Cattle Ranching is a way of life
in NW Costa Rica. Many thousands of hectares of forest have been converted
to cattle land. Here, Brahma bulls are awaiting their daily supplement of
molasses and chicken shit. Whatever it takes to fatten them up for market!
Deforestation occurs in many areas all over Costa Rica. Here, many acres of
primary growth have been harvested. Secondary growth is already
starting behind the makeshift lumber mill.
Tropical Ecosystems of Costa Rica has been taught for the last 18 years.
Check out the SYLLABUS. For more info, contact Hays Cummins or Chris Myers.
Visit two wonderful Costa Rica web sites. One focuses on Rincon de la Vieja Volcano in NW Costa Rica while the Tico Times provides a weekly update of Costa Rica happenings.
Tropical Marine Ecology of the Bahamas Imagery
For further information, contact Hays Cummins via e-mail or phone at 513-529-1338. These courses will be filled on a first-come,
first-served basis!
Listen to a "Voice Navigation" Intro!
(Quicktime or 
