Wildlife Promise » Costa Rica

Photo of the Day: A Slow Climb

Rachel Stemen — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 14:36:31 +0000

Three-toed sloth by Scott Nielsen. 2011 National Wildlife Photo Contest entry.

Scott Nielsen was photographing butterflies in Costa Rica when he spotted a young three-toed sloth slowly descending from the tree top. Sloths live in the forest canopy, but they have to visit the ground every few days to defecate. Scott only had a macro lens on hand, but he didn’t want to miss this rare opportunity to capture a few photos.

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Join Campus Ecology in Costa Rica!

Kristy Jones — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 14:39:46 +0000

Full of adventure, beauty, captivating culture and rich biodiversity, Costa Rica is a prime location to deepen your connection to Campus Ecology peers while studying global warming, sustainable travel and leadership. We search for all kinds of wildlife and learn about the successful sustainable development strategies that have made Costa Rica famous for conservation and ecotourism. We also interact with rural community members and give back through service projects. Traveling by foot, boat, canopy walkway and zip-line, we truly experience this wonderful country up close and personal. Along the way, we discuss carbon footprints, eco-friendly tourism and Costa Rica’s Certification for Sustainable Tourism program. Campus Ecology peers build leadership skills, share success stories and return to their communities with new skills and perspectives that will improve the effectiveness of campus initiatives.

Read the Full Program Description Here

WHEN? January 4-13, 2011

Program Highlights:
~ Deepen your understanding of global climate change impacts on wildlife, cultures and conservation efforts.
~ Immerse yourself in the animated “Pura Vida” lifestyle that makes Costa Rica known for its vibrant culture worldwide.
~ Search for howler monkeys, poison dart frogs, resplendent quetzals, three-toed sloths, nesting sea turtles and more with expert local guides and scientists.
~ Meet Campus Ecology peers and develop leadership skills such as selfawareness, communication, collaboration and self-direction.
~ Work with local organizations to measure your carbon footprint and learn about ways to maximize your positive impact as a responsible traveler.
~ Conduct valuable community service projects alongside local residents.

Learn More About Campus Ecology Costa Rica!

Study: Warmer Climate Is Sending Species Uphill

Kevin Coyle — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 02:37:11 +0000

University of Connecticut ecologists studying plant and animal movement in Costa Rica are finding that species may move up mountain slopes as the climate warms but areas left behind will have little to replace them:

AFP in the Vancouver Sun reports:

“In a rare study on the impact of global warming in the tropics, University of Connecticut ecologist Robert Colwell and colleagues worked their way up the forested slope of a Costa Rican volcano to collect data on 2,000 types of plants and insects.

‘Half of these species have such narrow altitudinal ranges that a 600-meter (2,000 feet) uphill shift would move these species into territory completely new to them,’ said a summary of their article released Thursday.” See full article.