It has now been six months since I explored the amphibian and reptile fauna of Costa Rica’s Caribbean rainforests.
Since then, I have been intensively studying the great diversity of lizards, snakes and the like in my Master’s thesis and have been able to call myself a Master of Science since the beginning of this year.
None of this would have been possible without the support of Tropica Verde and my Senckenberg colleagues, as well as the generous support and provision of accommodation by Carsten Thiemann. A big thank you for that!
What did I actually do during these three and a half weeks at Finca Curré/One World?
During the day and at night, my team went cross-country through the rainforest, which includes Finca Curré on the one hand and the forest of Finca One World on the other. We looked for all the frogs, toads, lizards and snakes that live on the forest floor and in the trees, but also in the numerous streams and ponds on the fincas.
The aim was to find as many species as possible, document them in detail and ultimately create a species inventory that reflects the diversity of these animals in the area.
Some of these bizarre creatures can be spotted especially in the dark, as only then do they leave their hiding places to look for food or mates.
My initial fear of the sounds and smells of the forest at night has gradually given way to a fascination that I can hardly escape. In addition to all my research animals, I was also able to observe or at least hear one or two mammals or various birds.
Why did I do all this?
The wildlife of Costa Rica, like everywhere else in the world, is severely threatened by habitat destruction, climate change and many other, mostly man-made factors. This is precisely why it is important to know which habitats are particularly worth protecting, as it will not be possible, at least in the near future, to preserve every area, every river and every forest equally.
With my species list I show that the purchase of Finca Curré by Tropica Verde was a complete success from the point of view of its crawling and jumping inhabitants. I was able to identify over 60 species in total. This does not even include the inhabitants of the treetops or animals living in complete hiding, which means that the “dark figure” of species living there is even higher!
Ultimately, it was a unique experience to explore these reptiles (and frogs), which are unfortunately wrongly classified as dangerous, poisonous or even evil:
Snakes, lizards and frogs are magical inhabitants of our planet that need our voice, because they are an important part of our biotopes, whether in Costa Rica or here in Germany.
Drive slowly during the toad migration season and don’t be afraid of snakes and the like!
With this in mind, Pura Vida and hasta luego.
Your Nina
Photos: © Nina Gunselmann
