 Location
Curú National Wildlife Refuge is located in the south of
Nicoya Peninsula. This place has captured the fancy of many nature
lovers. There is a provision of 36 beds, although the cabins are
meant primarily for researchers and students.
Quality
The refuge sports the feel of being cut-off from the mainland. The
refuge is just 5% of the total 1214-hectare property. Almost 75% of
the land is declared to be a forest, the rest 20% of the land is
used for agriculture and cattle raising. The status of refuge was
accorded in 1983. You can explore the place by hiking or trekking.
There are 17 trails you can choose from, with various difficulty
levels. You can go here swimming. The white sands of the beach and
quiet waters are the perfect place to unwind.
Kind of habitat
The refuge has different habitats and ecosystems with a very
diverse wildlife. There are mangrove species and then there are
organisms in the marine ecosystems. The park is also the breeding
ground for the pacific fishes. You might just also spot certain
extinct species of oysters, found only here. The park also houses
plant and animal species in the forests, which includes species of
evergreen and deciduous variety. While in the forests you can spot
raccoons, white-tailed deer, pacas, monkeys, opossums, coaties and
coyotes. Here, you can also find a wide variety of lizards like the
green iguana, ctenosaur and boa constrictor.
Animal Species
The species that form a part of the ecosystem here are white-tailed
deer, herds of peccaries, mountain lions, and margays ocelots,
white-faced and howler monkeys, rattlesnakes, iguanas .the beaches
are home to giant conch, lobsters and oysters. There are about 223
species of birds present on the island. You can spot any of these
here: hawks, swallows, egrets, motmots, hummingbirds, trogons,
roseate spoonbills, and fish eagles.
Floral Species
There are about 500 plant species forming a part of the ecosystem
here. The vegetation here is a mixture of deciduous and evergreen
species. Some of the trees in these forests include the silk
cotton, the Panama and the redwood. Curú itself is the name of
one of the trees on which the park is named.
Total Area
Curú National Wildlife Refuge covers an area of 208 acres. The
area comprises mangrove swamps, hills, beaches and forests. Even
the species dotting the area correspond to the diverse
habitats.
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