 Location: The Hitoy-Cerere Biological Reserve is
situated some 227 kms off San Jose. The origin of the name is
Indian with 'Hitoy' meaning woolly, a reference to the layer of
algae and moss covering the rocks of this place and 'Cerere' means
waters, as this place abounds with streams and rivers. The Reserve
protects the hills in the lower reaches of the Talamanca Mountain
Range in the Caribbean Brunca region.
Climate: This reserve faces a rainfall of about 3500 m in a
year resulting in formations of many streams and beautiful
waterfalls stemming from this place. The climate has also resulted
in formation of evergreen forests, which dot the scape of this
reserve. The average temperature in the region is about 25- 27
degrees.
Quality: The reserve has a rugged terrain and it's a
difficult proposition to go hiking here. The terrain with its steep
and slippery slope, dense vegetation and high levels of humidity
makes it a tough task for even seasoned hikers. The intimidating
terrain is also the reason this park hasn't undergone an extensive
study by students and researchers alike.
Kind of habitat: The area comprises dense evergreen
forests, crisscrossing streams and rivers. The reserve is a part of
the Talamanca Mountain Range, a range whose formation is said to
have started some 40-60 million years ago and ended some 3-5
million years ago.
Animal species: most of the species living here are
nocturnal or stay at heights and stay on the treetops. The animals
found here include tapirs, jaguars, anteaters, peccaries,
porcupines, armadillos, opossums, sloths, howler and white-faced
monkeys, and a large variety of butterflies frogs, and snakes.
There are some 115 species of birds that are found here. You can
find birds like:, green kingfisher, slaty-tailed trogon,
blue-headed parrot, owls turkey, vultures, cayenne squirrel-cuckoo,
spectacled owl, keel-billed toucans, blue-crested hummingbird, and
the Montezuma oropendo.
Floral species: Such an unusual and rugged mountain scape
results in a difference in slope, soil, incline and drainage.
Therefore there are various forms of vegetation that have emerged.
The forest compositions at a different slope are distinctly
different from each other. But generally the trees and the forests
rise high. Mosses and lichens, bromeliads and orchids cover the
trees here. The trees that grow here are crabwood, Santa Maria,
possum-wood, wild tamarind, silk cotton, malady, bully tree, balsa,
gumbo-limbo and cow tree. The area is also surrounded by other
reserves of Talamanca, Telire and Tayní.
Total area: the reserve comprises an area of about 9154
hectares covering forests, water bodies and mountains. This area is
a delight for all those who want to discover wilderness
uninhibited.
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