Costa Rica is a place where over 500,000 species call home. Within this large number you can find 4% of the total species across the world. Costa Rica is considered to be a part of the top 20 countries with the greatest biodiversity in the world. I have found they are in the top 20 because of their position geographically. Costa Rica has two coasts as well as Mountains. This tropical zone that Costa Rica located in is called Neotropics, and it provides numerous climates, which are responsible for the natural wealth of species and ecosystems in the area. Within all the diversity there is concern for species that are testing the limits and are endangered, on their way to extinction.
Costa Rica has set out to enforce many rules and regulations
…show more content…
that point their efforts to ensuring that wildlife is kept safe, as well as preventing methods to preserve the natural wealth the rich ecosystem. The Ministry of the Environment and Energy, or MINAE has bee set in place to manage and protect the biodiversity found in Costa Rica. Working along side MINAE is the National System of Conservation. They are responsible for the overall conservation and sustainable use of the country’s resources. Which in my opinion is a pretty important job. There are 11 Conservation Areas in Costa Rica that have been established to protect specific environments and species. These areas include Guanacaste, Arenal Huetar Norte, Central Volcanic, Tortuguero, Tempsque, anlong with others. These areas have been protected and put in place to monitor the environment in their area and protect the wildlife from extinction. Among the protected wildlife in these areas are the Sea Turtles.
These turtles are mainly protected in Tortuguero National Park, located in Limon, Costa Rica. The area the park is protected on was a group of volcanic islands until the sediment from the mountains filled space and began forming marshy islands. The nesting beaches that the turtles use were formed when sand piled up at the intersection of the land and sea. This area gets a high amount of rainfall and is where freshwater meets the beaches, canals, lagoons and wetlands. This environment is one of the best examples of biodiversity that can be found in the area. It is home to turtles, as well as the organisms found in the sea, wetlands, and …show more content…
lagoons. Along side the MINAE works the CCC.
The CCC was established in 1959 to focus on the protection of the Caribbean green turtles. They worked very closely with the Costa Rican government and helped establish Tortugero in 1970. They protected the turtles and limited on how many could be taken. The presence of the CCC researchers as well as park guards and visitors discourages poaching of the wildlife. The legal protection Costa Rican Natural parks receive is very comprehensive for sustaining the wonderful biodiversity the country is blessed with. Within the most recent years the laws have been strengthened in the country’s best interest. In 1998 the Biodiversity Law was set and the strategies to conserve and sustain biodiversity was put into place. This law completed and put to work. Participation was needed from local and national levels to ensure sustainable practices. In turn, a National Commission for Biodiversity Management was responsible for the use of the country’s natural resources. This system is ultimately in place to keep the natural resources available to their country and accounted
for. By researching more about the biodiversity of Costa Rica I have seen that there are many ways that its natural habitat is protected. I can find a greater appreciation for all the Earth’s Natural resources, especially the ones I use directly. The initial rules and regulations put in place to conserve the various areas of Costa Rica speak for themselves and continue to work hard protecting the wildlife based on their locations. On top of these institutions, the private sector and scientific research are both excellent resources in aiding in the conservation of the country. It is encouraging to see that governments are willing to participate and take action to preserve the natural habitats and wealth of its country. By learning more about the general area of Costa Rica and how the community and government work together to protect it biodiversity has given me a bigger view of how biological conservation can be done around the world.
The physical science of the two countries is completely different. According to the main speaker, Costa Rica is much smaller than the United States. It could actually fit in the state of Oklahoma about two and a half times (Northwestern Oklahoma State University, 2010). The population is a little different too. Costa Rica’s population is around 4.5 million, compared to Oklahoma which has approximately 3.4 million.
The animals in Costa Rica live in a hot place so they can stay warm sense reptiles need to stay warm because reptiles and cold blooded. Most of the animals that living in Washington are warm blooded for the cold winters and falls so they don't die from lack of heat. But, those that are cold go underground into hibernation because of the heat and the lack of food. The animals of Costa Rica don't have to do that because it is always warm out. Most animals live close to some source of water because if some animal is not hydrated they become weak and get killed or die. The food for most animals are by the water or in the water so, the predators become the hunted by larger and more dangerous. Most of the animals in Washington don't all stay by the closest water source, some get their water from underground, others get the water they need from plants. Each and every animal is different in its own
Costa Rica is covered in huge jungles. Reminding me of the movie Tarzan, the jungles are full of monkeys, macaws, and many other curious creatures. Another interesting thing about Costa Rica was the beach. On the pacific side of the country, the sand is muddy and black. Even though the dark sand made the ocean look dirty, it made the white sea shells shine exceedingly bright. One of the scariest parts about Costa Rica was the reptiles. It seems that every river was full of enormous crocodiles. Although the lush, green jungle was a beautiful sight to see, Bonaire had even prettier views. Since it is located in the Caribbean, the island of Bonaire is surrounded by the most gorgeous turquoise water. The ocean was definitely the prettiest part of the island. The main terrain of Bonaire is desert. Unlike Costa Rica, there are hardly any trees. The island is covered in rocks and cactus. Because of the lack of vegetation, there were very few animals that thrive. For example, donkeys and finches were some of the only animals I saw on the island. Just like Costa Rica, Bonaire has a reptile problem. Thankfully, the reptiles in Bonaire were much nicer. Iguanas ruled the island. They were everywhere. After vacationing in Costa Rica and Bonaire, I realized that both have extraordinary
The efforts taking place through different conservation organizations and the State of Florida are making a mixed impact on the survival of Manatees and Sea Turtles. The decline in manatee population has decreased, but due to low reproduction rates, more needs to be done to avoid extinction. The sea turtle outlook is more species specific. Some species of turtle are seeing stabilization in population, while others are not. The State of Florida has a large array of custom license tags that support the conservation efforts taking place within the State. The proceeds go to benefit the local marine life in Florida. With financial resources, state and local cooperation, and through constant research and observation, we are able to learn more about both of these gentle animals. With human awareness of those living in Florida, these two animals will survive
Costa Rica has mountains, green tropical forests and fertile soil. “Its name, meaning rich coast in Spanish, came from explorers who heard tales of precious metals in the region. However, the land had little mineral wealth.” (The World Book encyclopedia of people and places 306) Costa Rica is located in Central America on the continent of North America. It is bordered by Nicaragua, Panama, the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. It has elevations that exceed 12,500 feet and displays 12 different climatic zones. The country has a variety of natural hazards including occasional earthquakes, hurricanes along the Atlantic coast and frequent flooding of lowlands at the beginning of the rainy season. Costa Rica has mountain ranges that stretch the length of the entire country. Many of the mountains have thick vegetation and when the air moves over the mountains it cools and creates rain and keeps the lush forests wet and green.
Loggerhead sea turtles, scientifically labeled Carretta carretta, are the most global nesting turtle species and the most abundant in United State’s waters. While they are not nesting, they travel through open ocean water, spending time searching for food and resting on the sea floor. These turtles were nicknamed Loggerheads because of their large heads and strong jaw needed to break the shells of crustaceans. Loggerheads have the largest nesting range of any sea turtle, inhabiting the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans (Spotila, 2004).
I learned more than I ever imagined on my summer study abroad trip to Costa Rica. I learned that Costa Rica is a country like no other. The country is much different than what the United States of America is like. The lifestyles, customs, and practices of Costa Rica are very different than those that I am accustomed to. As an outsider looking into the country, I saw a country that is very poor financially but very rich in spirit. They do not appreciate wealth as United States citizens do, but instead appreciate love and gratitude. I noticed that Costa Ricans have very strong family values and cultural roots.
Six habitat types were identified as potential priorities within the GP-LCC area (short and mixed-grass prairies, playa wetlands, riparian streams, prairie rivers, cross timbers, and savanna, scrublands’ and sand dune [are these not three themselves?]). Among the six habitat types identified as potential priorities within the GP-LCC, five had priority habitats and related species discussed; however, Cross Timbers does not have any discussion regarding habitat or relates species. Also, non-playa wetlands and saline lakes were added in the narratives but, they were not previously listed as potential priority habitats. It appears that priority habitats in this landscape need better definition. I note that three priority habitats (riparian stream, prairie rivers, and cross timbers) within the GP-LCC are not represented in the Llano Estacado sub-geography.
Ecotourism is defined according to Higgins (2006) as travel that preserves the environment and promotes the welfare of local people. Costa Rica is often viewed as the epicenter of ecotourism; in brief it has become the leading destination for ecotourism in Latin America (Horton, 2009). Although ecotourism has been an integral part of the Costa Rican economy over the past decades, there is a significant need to look into the neoliberal policies that drive the sector as there is research that illustrates the detriment it can cause a local community. Furthermore, Costa Rica’s ecotourism boom occurred as a result of the government’s rapid expansion of protected areas in the 1970s and 1980s to cast one fourth of the national territory (Horton, 2009). In terms of environmental efficiency, a report by the CIA (2014) highlights that Costa Rica is effectively managing its overall Carbon emission from consumption of energy at a modest 6.806 million Mt, which is measured in metric tons. Ranking Costa Rica 116th in terms of consumption, whereas Ecuador a country with similar characteristics, ranks 76th out of all countries in the world. There is also strong signals that highlight the economic role that ecotourism has formed, by the late 1990s, employing 12 percent of Costa Rica’s labor force (Horton, 2006). The forces at play, construct the system that originally initiated the ecotourism boom and has led it to this point. Thus, the implications of ecotourism in Costa Rica have widely varied from preserving forest, reducing the carbon emission from consumption of energy and incorporating ecotourism as an effective sector of the economy. However I will point out there needs to be a more broad emphasis on the counter narratives that ecotourism ...
Introduction Caretta caretta, otherwise known as the Loggerhead Sea Turtle, is an oceanic turtle that exist throughout the globe. They are circumtropical species (LeBlanc et al. 2014) meaning they are distributed throughout temperate and tropical ocean regions, but most abundant species are found in the United States coastal range. Loggerheads largest nesting aggregations in the Atlantic are found along the southeastern United States coastal range where about 80% of all nesting occurs and 90% of all hatchlings are produced (Abecassis et al. 2013).
“Saving Wild Places - Latin American and the Caribbean - Yasuni National Park, Ecuador” Wildlife Conservation Society. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Oct. 2013.
Belize is a small country, on the Caribbean Sea, between Mexico and Guatemala. With a total land area of about 8,800 square miles, Belize is slightly smaller than Massachusetts.1 Belize is subject to frequent hurricanes and coastal flooding. The country has one of the higher population growth rates of Central America at 2.154%, and a total population of 307,899. 2 Belize is composed of mostly flat, swampy coastal plains, with some low mountainous regions in the south. The climate is tropical, characterized by very hot and humid alternating rain and dry seasons. Belize attracts tourism to its 240 miles of coastline which is characterized by crystal clear waters and diver attracting reef system. Belize offers a diverse eco-system, as well as a rich culture and history. Belize’s first recorded civilizations were the Mayan’s, who began development of the area around 1500BC, and flourished through AD 1200.3 Belize is home to many major archaeological sites, many of which show the advance civilization who inhabited the land at that time. Initial European contact occurred in 1502 when Columbus sailed along the coast. However, settlement by Europeans did not occur until 1638 when English seamen were shipwrecked off the coast.4 The next 150 years saw an expansion of English settlements, and was marked by an indiscriminate amount of natural resource pilfering. Belize was not formally recognized as the “Colony of British Honduras” until 1840, and becoming a crown colony in 1862. After official recognition, the development of a formalized establishment of colonial rule began. However, resistance from the native Mayan population prompted the installment of a new legislative council and governor. This removed the source of power from the colony...
In the general overview I am going to go over a few topics like history, geography, the political system, the economic system, and the cultures and subcultures of Costa Rica, and why it is so interesting to learn about them. Costa Rica has a brief but strong history on how the Spanish came to Costa Rica and tried to take it over however the geography and the wildlife had a play in how it was not so successful for them at first but how they eventually adapted to it. Now as far as geography in Costa Rica goes it has two different climates tropical and subtropical which can be broken down into dry and rainy season, the terrain is a little different there is coastal plains and rugged mountains which volcanos are a...
Many times there were cases of large unknown animals at Costa Rica, but no one
The Convention on Biological Diversity (hereafter: “CBD”) is an international treaty adopted by United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, held at Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 and came into force on December 29, 1993. Initially when it came into force there were 168 members now it is 193 in total. The aim to protect biodiversity and the dramatic steps taken for conservation, sustainable use and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits attracted the world communities to become members (History of the Convention, n.d). In principle the convention on biological diversity changed the ownership concept of biodiversity protection i.e. (“common heritage of humankind”) to the “sovereign right” of each member country (Hirsch, 2012). It is the responsibility of the each member to develop and implement policies in a way that helps in the conservation and sustainable use of biological resources. It also recognizes the knowledge of local and indigenous people for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity (Brahmi et al., 2004).The article 8(j) of CBD has an important provision which gives the member state rights to “respect, preserve and maintain” traditional style and knowledge about the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. The protection must promote the wider application of such knowledge and stimulate innovation and also ensure that the benefits are shared in fair and equitable manner to the communities.