Bats, Macros, and Whitewater Rafting on the Sarapiqui - Day 2 of #CVCostaRica22

Binoculars out! Spotting a 3-toed sloth in the canopy less than 
2 minutes after jumping off the bus this 
morning!

 

We started Day 2 of #CVCostaRica22 back at the Tirimbina Rainforest Preserve by seeing a 3-toed sloth within 5 minutes of our arrival. No sooner had we started moving toward the classroom, our guides spotted a 2-toed sloth in another tree, so the group got the chance to see the differences between these species of sloths. Our guides noted this was exceptionally rare, so we knew the day was off to a great start! Students used binoculars and magifying scopes to focus in on these furry creatures and capture some unique images! 

I spy a 3-toed sloth!

The group visted the seed traps we set last night and collected bat guano captured overnight from bats in the open forest. Fruit-eating bats are the most abundant seed-dispersing mammals in the world. Costa Rica is no exception and is home to 30 species of frugivores. Each night, bats can communte several miles to find their food often venturing out of the rainforest into open areas in search of their favorite fruit tree. In this process, most of the seeds ingested from fruit pass through the bat's digestive system intact, then are defacated during flight. The seeds "raining" across the landscape can eventually germinate and become pioneer plants and assist in the process of reforestation.

Back in the classroom, teams worked to identify seeds found in the guano to indicate the location of nearby plants. Students used dissecting microscopes to zoom in and view the various seeds found in the bat guano. Our group was able to identify seeds from a pepper plant and a ficus plant. This event concluded our bat study last evening where students got to see a White Lined Bat, Sevas Short-Tailed Bat, and Black Motais Bat up close!

The morning ended with water quality testing and a macro-invertebrate study in the Sarapiqui River. In Costa Rica, the country is committed to ensuring that water is clean and free from pollutants. Before rafting down the Sarapiqui, students had to determine the pH and levels of phosphate and nitrate in the river. After a quick walk across our favorite suspension bridge and a trip down a spiral staircase, our group reached the banks of the Sarapiqui to work with our guide to conduct this
water quality testing. Groups returned a perfect pH of 7 and no detected nitrates or phosphates. 

After the water quality testing, students dispersed for 15 minutes to catch various macroinvertebrates using strainers. Macro-invertebrates are important in determining the history of a river and its water quality. A river with a high diversity of macros indicates a healthy ecosystem where a high abundance of pollution-tolerant macros indicates poor river health. Our groups found several skimmers, a beetle, and even a tiny fish! Overall, our guide said a high quantity of skimmers was a sign of a healthy ecosystem since we didn't locate any pollution tolerant species. 

Investigating the final count for each type
of macroinvertebrate

Students working with our guide William
to finalize water quality testing results

After lunch, the group enjoyed white-water rafting on the Sarapiqui! Our group was in 3 separate rafts and enjoyed a 7-kilometer journey down the river while observing more sloths, a monkey, and several bird species hunting for fish. 

Pura Vida! Kicking off #CVCostaRica22

Our group arrived safely in San Jose, Costa Rica yesterday and hit the ground running today in the Tirimbina Rainforest!

On our drive this morning to Sarapiqui, we stopped at a coffee plantation high in the mountains to learn about the "golden bean" that allowed Costa Rica to become a successful country. Costa Rica only grows Arabic coffee and harvests ripe coffee beans by hand.

This distinction sets Costa Rica apart because the coffee harvested is of higher quality, which demands a higher price. Other countries (such as Columbia and Vietnam) depend on quantity of coffee harvested rather than quality like Costa Rica. Our group picked up some high quality Expresso, French Roast, and Low Roast coffee to take back and sample with friends and family in the United States. While stopping at the cafe, we also were able to see a team of oxen and a beautiful ox cart.

The ox cart is viewed as a traditional part of Costa Rican culture that symbolizes "peace, humility, and hard work." We couldn't agree more with these adjectives that describe the country and great Costa Ricans we've interacted with so far on our trip!

Along the switchback roads coming down the mountain, we stopped to see the La Paz waterfall and discussed some of the devastion that can occur during the rainy season with extreme flooding and landslides. We continued our descent and saw several dairy farms (Holsteins & Jerseys), then finally some Brahman cattle in the lowlands. 

We arrived at the Tirimbina Rainforest Preserve a little before lunch and jumped right into a "Rainforest Color Challenge" to identify flora and fauna that were yellows, blues, reds, blacks, and pinks. After lunch, it was time to cross the Sarapiqui River on a swaying suspension bridge to enter the rainforest. Our group was treated to a colony of "ants moving plants," a 300-year-old tree, and great views of toucans, frogs, and spiders. 

Before departing for the afternoon, the group set up seed traps for a study to analyze how bats move seeds across the rainforest. Stay tuned to see our results tomorrow morning!

The day ended with a night bat study and up-close encounters with several species of bats found in the Tirimbina Rainforest. Did you know that various species of bats consume insects, frogs, and nectar from plants? 

Until tomorrow, pura vida!