The most visited national park in Costa Rica is the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve which is located in the north central part of the country and straddles the continental divide. Cloud forests are unique in that they exist at high elevations in tropical areas and are usually swathed in clouds so that the forest there is cool and almost constantly moist. Orchids wrap their roots around branches and trunks and bromeliads of every shape make the trees look like chandeliers. Vines and strangler figs create a primeval look so that if a dinosaur peered out from behind a giant buttressed trunk I don’t think I’d be too surprised.
Frogs, lizards and bugs of in all colors live here along with larger animals like monkeys, sloths and agoutis. Tapirs and leopards and other exotic cats exist in the cloud forests but are rarely seen because of their rarity and secretive nature. The birds as you might imagine, also thrive there but are like the other animals hard to spot because of all of their foliage and the tendency for camouflage. We managed to see these tiny baby hummingbirds because a local guide pointed them out.
The highlight for me in this natural wonderland was a sighting of the Resplendent Quetzal which was among other things, the sacred bird of the Aztecs and kind of a holy grail to modern birders around the world. This bird is so spectacular that even while you are looking at it, it is hard to believe it’s real. You can see this boy’s green metallic helmet and wing coverlets laid over a bright scarlet cape but less evident are his 18 inch long twin tail feathers.
Once I saw the quetzal, I could have gone home—it’s that great of an occasion. Of course, we didn’t leave and continued to hike through the tangled jungle in the clouds.
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