Day Nine in Costa Rica included a long excursion to the Palo Verde National Park. We left our hotel at 8 a.m. We traveled the Pan American highway, passed through the city of Liberia and the town of Filladelfia (yes, Philadelphia is in Costa Rica). We passed acres and acres of sugar cane and melon fields, and other farmland. After several hours we arrived at the Park. We boarded a small canopied motor boat (four of us, plus guide and driver) and spent several hours cruising the Tempisque River. The day was hot, really hot, but the boat canopy and the light breeze on the river helped us survive.
It is estimated that over a quarter of a million wading birds and wildfowl, many from North America, spend the winter months at Palo Verde, as well as many resident species of some of Costa Rica's larger and more exotic birds.
Over 150 types of trees have been recorded in this amazing park, including the Palo Verde meaning “Green Tree”, because it's leaves, branches and part of the trunk are light green in color.
Some of the most common mammals in the Park are the Howler, Capuchin, and sometimes Spider Monkeys, Porcupines, Coaties, White-tailed Deer, Collared Peccaries, Coyotes, Variegated Squirrels, and Pumas. There are also along the banks of the Rio Tempisque, crocodiles, frogs, iguanas, and snakes such as the Boa Constrictor, Tropical rattlesnake and the Central American Coral Snake. We were able to see on our adventure: Howler, Capuchin and Spider monkeys, squirrels, crocodiles, many species of birds, a coyote, a coati, and a deer. Our Guide was quite pleased with himself for being able to show us such a wide range of wildlife along the river. All in all, an enjoyable, but full day--this Ninth Day in Costa Rica.
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