First off, to address the question of the day "Why is it economically important for Costa Rica to protect its wildlife?"
In my opinion, the majority of the reason is based on tourism. I believe you, Dr. Lanier, had told us that roughly 60% of Costa Rica's economy is from tourism. Based on this fact, it is clear to see that tourism is a vital part of their country. By taking the appropriate steps to protect their wildlife, Costa Rica ensure their survival and prosperity. The protected wildlife attracts tourists to the country because they want to see the indigenous creatures located here in Costa Rica, such as the sloths. By protecting the wildlife, the government ensures that there is ample reason in place to attract tourists and boost the economy. Additionally, by protecting the wildlife, it could provide opportunities for research and potential grant money. By having plants and animals that are only located in Costa Rica, it would bring in those people who desire to study and research these unique beings. Research often uses grants for funding so again this could be another incentive for wildlife protect because it helps boost the economy.
Now to talk about the fun stuff! The day we have all been waiting for finally happened today....we got to see the sloths! After breakfast at the Tryp Sabana, we departed San Jose and drove about three hours over the central volcanic mountain range to get to the Carribean side of the country. The windy and bumpy roads got a little much at times but we all made it through. About halfway through the trip, we stopped at a local fruit stand where there was a multitude of fruits to taste test. I put my finicky side away for a second and I did try the un-ripe mango. I didn't realize at the time that it was un-ripe but I still tried it. I didn't care for the taste (it hadn't quite sweetened up all the way) and the fibrous texture threw me off kilter a bit.
After making the trek from the Central Valley to the Carribean coast, we finally made it to the Sloth Sanctuary. We all could not wait see the sloths. First off, we started with a smooth canoe ride down the little river to check out the plants and hopefully see some wildlife. The bamboo was so thick and dense and I definitely did not expect to see that in Costa Rica. I immediately thought that any panda would be happy to munch on that anytime. We also saw banana trees and coconut trees during the boat ride. We manage to spot a salamander, small iguana, and a frog throughout the trip.
The highlight of the canoe ride was when we got to witness "play time" for the sloths. It was beyond amazing to see how they move around and interact with one another. They always seems to be smiling so it's great to see them as though they are constantly happy; which I'm sure they are considering they play half the day and sleep half the day. I think one sloth even wanted to come with us because he keep moving closer and closer to us until finally one of the workers picked him up by his fingers and put him back in the central play area.
After the boat ride, Marco our tour guide gave us a multitude of information about sloths...most interesting being their bathroom habits in that they only go once a week. Seems as though that would be difficult but it's just their normal routine. He also introduced us to Mellie, Toyota, Tasmania, and Johnny Depp. All of them were two finger sloths except for Toyota. He was my favorite because he was three fingered and he had lost an arm from being electrocuted. While of course I don't like the fact that he was electrocuted, I think it shows how resilient animals are in that they can bounce back from almost anything I also thought the relationship dynamic between Tasmania and Johnny Depp was interesting in that sloths are normally solitary creatures, but they formed a bond because they came to the sanctuary together as babies. The final stop on our tour was to visit the baby sloths in the nursery. While Gabi told us we would be able to hold a baby sloth, this was not the case. Despite that, we all got an up close look at Spirit when Marco went around the room with her in a blanket. Katie from Nicholls University started the sloth selfie and everyone jumped on that trend real quick.
Even though there is still lots more to see, I feel as though the Sloth Sanctuary will be the best experience by far. It was tons of fun but still educational and informational at the same time. We got learn about their habits and see their daily routine. I think we all took an obnoxious amount of pictures because we are likely never to see their animals again and we wanted to make sure we never forgot the experience. After lunch at a local restuarant, we travelled to our bed and breakfast in Cahuita where we would be staying the night. Because we are three girls to a room, Alex, Renee, and I got an amazing suite that features a huge king size bed, two single beds, a full kitchen, rainfall shower head, living area, and a terrace complete with a hammock. It also featured ocean views so it was definitely idyllic, even without air conditioning.
After checking in, we went into town and were able to take in the beach and the amazing views. Even though I took pictures, I felt as though my trying to capture those moments would not even do the view and experience justice. It was a natural beauty and ambience that could not be contained or replicated. It was nice to have some downtime and just take in the culture of the area.
The day exceeded my expectations and I will never forget the sloths!!
Hasta mañana,
Katie Simon
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