I visited several nature reserve in Costa Rica. Especially the amphibians and reptiles were very interesting. Some of the highlights were the Red-eyed Tree Frog (Agalychnis callidryas, german: Rotaugenlaubfrosch, french: Rainette aux yeux rouges), the venomous Eyelash Pit Viper (Bothriechis schlegelii, german: Greifschwanz-Lanzenotter, french: Vipère de Schlegel), and the sloths. Another highlight was seeing a Baird's Tapir (Tapirus bairdii, german: Mittelamerikanischer Tapir, french: Tapir de Baird), the first time I saw a tapir in the wild.
Pictures of birds in Costa Rica and other nature pages are separate:
Pacific coast of Costa Rica. (507k) Beach at Drake Bay. (963k) Evening at Drake Bay. (572k) Caño Island. (701k) Arenal Volcano over Lake Arenal. (441k) Arenal Volcano. (944k) Rainforest near Tortuguero. (1174k) Rainforest along the Rio Celeste (Skyblue River). (1000k) Volcanic gases bubbling up through the river. (1278k) Here is the place where the Rio Celeste picks up the fine sediment that causes the vivid blue color. (1374k) Rio Celeste. (1352k) Clear water flowing into the Rio Celeste. (1013k) Waterfall on the Rio Celeste. (1422k) Waterfall on the Rio Celeste. (995k)
Flora in Costa Rica
Poor Man's Umbrella (Gunnera insignis). (1009k) Small mushrooms. (721k) Mushroom. (840k) Flower. (785k) Brazilian Red-cloak (Megaskepasma erythrochlamys). (776k) Scarlet Spiral Ginger (Costus woodsonii). (471k) Bird-of-Paradise Flower (Strelitzia reginae, german: Paradiesvogelblume, french: Oiseau de paradis). (606k) Yellow Hibiscus. (692k) Red Ginger (Alpinia purpurata, french: Gingembre d'ornement rouge). (660k) Pink Ginger. (639k) Torch Ginger (Etlingera elatior, german: Fackel-Ingwer, french: Rose de porcelaine). (650k) Water Lily. (870k) Heliconia (Heliconia sp., german: Helikonien:Genus). (702k) Heliconia (Heliconia sp., german: Helikonien:Genus). (1033k) Bird-of-Paradise Flower (Strelitzia reginae, german: Paradiesvogelblume, french: Oiseau de paradis). (797k) Epiphytes on a tree. (1169k) Bromeliad. (993k) Smallest Bromeliads. They are only a few millimeters across. (874k) Monkey Ladder Vine (Entada gigas, french: Cœur de la mer). (1332k) Tree Fern. (1408k) Flower of the Provision Tree (Pachira aquatica, german: Malabar Kastanie, french: Châtaignier de la Guyane). (884k) Fruit of the Provision Tree (Pachira aquatica, german: Malabar Kastanie, french: Châtaignier de la Guyane). (1063k) Beginning of a Strangler Fig. It will eventually kill the tree in a few decades. (1168k) Large Strangler Fig, the host tree has already disappeared. (1.6M) Walking Palm (Socratea exorrhiza, german: Wanderpalme, french: Palmier marcheur). (1274k) Palm tree. (1293k) Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera, german: Kokospalme, french: Cocotier). (1414k) Tree. (1323k) Avocado Tree. (1.8M) Ant Acacia (Vachellia allenii). This tree is endemic to Costa Rica and is endangered. It has ants living on the tree in a symbiotic relationship, protecting the tree from other insects. (1344k) Texas Madrone (Arbutus xalapensis, german: Erdbeerbäume). (1390k) Manchineel (Hippomane mancinella, german: Manchinelbaum, french: Mancenillier). (918k) Mangrove forest near Sierpe. (1181k) Ceiba (Ceiba sp.) called Árbol de la Paz (Tree of Peace). (1.5M)
Fauna in Costa Rica
Cicada eggs. (983k) Moth cocoon. (478k) Termite nest. (855k) Leafcutter ants. (784k) Leafcutter ants street. (1121k) Ants carrying a small flower. (1108k) Wasp nest in a tree. (870k) Wasp nest. (657k) Small, active wasp nest. (539k) Insects visiting flowers at night. (429k) Small snail. (570k) Millipede. (1065k) Butterfly. (1000k) Owl Butterfly (Caligo sp., german: Bananenfalter, french: Papillons-hiboux). (1287k) Tiger Leafwing butterfly (Consul fabius). (773k) Blue Morpho caterpillar. (687k) Headlight Click Beetle (Pyrophorus sp.). (1152k) Beetle. (506k) Cicada nymph. (948k) Cicada nymph. (448k) Cicada nymph. (830k) Cicada. (888k) Cricket. (452k) Unicorn Cricket. (776k) King Cricket. (662k) Leaf katydid. (627k) Large katydid. (439k) Daddy Longlegs, carrying a feather. (591k) Spider web. (696k) Brown Spotted Spider. (681k) Brown Spotted Spider. (713k) Spider. (727k) Wandering Spider. (568k) Wandering Spider. (596k) Banana Spider (Cupiennius sp.). (665k) Orb-weaver Spider (Araneidae gen., german: Echte Radnetzspinnen). (649k) Stick insect. (1024k) Moss Praying Mantis. (746k) Mussel shell. (1.8M) Ghost Crab (Ocypode sp., french: Crabes fantômes). It is very hard to spot, they blend in very well. (965k) Hermit crab. (1012k) Land crab. (793k) Frog eggs. (754k) Unidentified frog. (709k) Pygmy Rain Frog (Pristimantis ridens). (701k) Common Tink Frog (Diasporus diastema). They are tiny but make a very loud metallic "tink" sound at night. (721k) Fitzinger's Robber Frog (Craugastor fitzingeri). (736k) Masked Tree Frog (Smilisca phaeota, german: Costa-Rica-Laubfrosch). (391k) Warszewitsch's Frog (Lithobates warszewitschii). (699k) Vaillant's Frog (Lithobates vaillanti). (1074k) Yellow Tree Frog (Dendropsophus microcephalus). (595k) Strawberry Poison Dart Frog (Oophaga pumilio, german: Erdbeerfröschchen, french: Grenouille des fraises). (870k) Rufous-eyed Brook Frog (Duellmanohyla rufioculis), endemic to Costa Rica. (627k) Red-eyed Tree Frog (Agalychnis callidryas, german: Rotaugenlaubfrosch, french: Rainette aux yeux rouges). (678k) Red-eyed Tree Frog (Agalychnis callidryas, german: Rotaugenlaubfrosch, french: Rainette aux yeux rouges). (633k) Savage's Thin-toed Frog (Leptodactylus savagei). (904k) Giant Toad (Rhinella horribilis). (1042k) Costa Rican Red-legged Tarantula (Megaphobema mesomelas, german: Rotbeinvogelspinne), endemic to Costa Rica. (737k) Gecko. (586k) Slender Anole (Norops limifrons, german: Beta-Anolis, french: Anolis). (905k) Osa Anole (Anolis osa). (797k) Common Basilisk (Basiliscus basiliscus, german: Helmbasilisk, french: Basilic commun). (686k) Green Basilisk (Basiliscus plumifrons, german: Stirnlappenbasilisk, french: Lézard Jésus-Christ). (846k) Close-up of the Green Basilisk (Basiliscus plumifrons, german: Stirnlappenbasilisk, french: Lézard Jésus-Christ). (650k) Green Iguana (Iguana iguana, german: Grüner Leguan, french: Iguane vert). (796k) Large Green Iguana (Iguana iguana, german: Grüner Leguan, french: Iguane vert). (1042k) Large male Green Iguana (Iguana iguana, german: Grüner Leguan, french: Iguane vert). (1071k) Close-up of the male Green Iguana (Iguana iguana, german: Grüner Leguan, french: Iguane vert). (1205k) Large Green Iguana (Iguana iguana, german: Grüner Leguan, french: Iguane vert) climbing a tree. (1281k) Snail Eater Snake (Sibon lamari). This snake is endemic to Costa Rica. (620k) Blunthead Tree Snake (Imantodes cenchoa). (677k) Northern Cat-eyed Snake (Leptodeira septentrionalis). (777k) Parrot Snake (Leptophis ahaetulla). (1052k) Closer view of the Parrot Snake (Leptophis ahaetulla). (909k) Head of the Parrot Snake (Leptophis ahaetulla). (590k) Eyelash Pit Viper (Bothriechis schlegelii, german: Greifschwanz-Lanzenotter, french: Vipère de Schlegel). This snake is highly venomous. (535k) Eyelash Pit Viper (Bothriechis schlegelii, german: Greifschwanz-Lanzenotter, french: Vipère de Schlegel). They come in various colors. (923k) Eyelash Pit Viper (Bothriechis schlegelii, german: Greifschwanz-Lanzenotter, french: Vipère de Schlegel), another color morph. (619k) Head of the Eyelash Pit Viper (Bothriechis schlegelii, german: Greifschwanz-Lanzenotter, french: Vipère de Schlegel). (601k) Turtle. (824k) Black River Turtle (Rhinoclemmys funerea). (1143k) Tropical Gar (Atractosteus tropicus, german: Tropischer Knochenhecht, french: Gaspar). (595k) Spectacled Caiman (Caiman crocodilus, german: Krokodilkaiman, french: Caïman à lunettes). (907k) Spectacled Caiman (Caiman crocodilus, german: Krokodilkaiman, french: Caïman à lunettes). (666k) White-nosed Coati (Nasua narica, german: Weißrüssel-Nasenbär, french: Coati à nez blanc). (783k) White-nosed Coati (Nasua narica, german: Weißrüssel-Nasenbär, french: Coati à nez blanc). (982k) Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth (Bradypus variegatus, german: Braunkehl-Faultier, french: Paresseux à gorge brune). (794k) Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth (Bradypus variegatus, german: Braunkehl-Faultier, french: Paresseux à gorge brune). (887k) Hoffman's Two-toed Sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni, german: Hoffmann-Zweifingerfaultier, french: Unau d'Hoffmann). (981k) Hoffman's Two-toed Sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni, german: Hoffmann-Zweifingerfaultier, french: Unau d'Hoffmann). (988k) Collared Peccary (Pecari tajacu, german: Halsbandpekari, french: Pécari à collier) with piglets. (928k) Central American Spider Monkey (Ateles geoffroyi, german: Geoffroy-Klammeraffe, french: Singe-araignée de Geoffroy). (1135k) Central American Spider Monkey (Ateles geoffroyi, german: Geoffroy-Klammeraffe, french: Singe-araignée de Geoffroy). (944k) Mantled Howler Monkeys (Alouatta palliata, german: Mantelbrüllaffe, french: Hurleur à manteau). (970k) Pantropical Spotted Dolphin (Stenella attenuata, german: Schlankdelfin, french: Dauphin tacheté pantropical). (389k) Baird's Tapir (Tapirus bairdii, german: Mittelamerikanischer Tapir, french: Tapir de Baird). (1045k) Closer view of the Baird's Tapir (Tapirus bairdii, german: Mittelamerikanischer Tapir, french: Tapir de Baird). (828k)
Dr. Günther Eichhorn Travel Website
Soaring website