Where Can You Find the Most Biodiversity on Earth?
Jun 12
posted by Dipika Chawla in Costa Rica, ecotourism | 0 Comments 
Vea esta publicación en español.
Welcome to Corcovado National Park, the place with the most biodiversity on Earth! Located in Costa Rica's south Pacific coast, on the famous Osa Peninsula, this park has been called "the most intense place on Earth, biologically speaking," by National Geographic, as it is estimated that there is no other place on the planet that is home to such a vast and dense biological diversity. In other words, travelers who visit Corcovado will be treated to a natural spectacle of living creatures that exists nowhere else in the world!
Corcovado is made up of 99,000 land acres and 13,000 marine acres in which 3-4% of the world's biodiversity is found, including 50% of Costa Rica's total species. The park conserves the last existing humid tropical forest of the Mesoamerican Pacific and the largest primary forest of the American Pacific.
The park is home to a considerable number of known wildlife species: 140 species of mammals, more than 360 birds, of which 40 are in danger of extinction, some 180 amphibians and reptiles, including four species of marine turtles, and 40 freshwater fish species. Many beautiful and biologically important animals are among the species in danger of extinction, including the guacamaya or scarlet macaw, the white-lipped peccary, the jaguar, and the American crocodile.
Thousands of plant species also inhabit the park, many of which have restricted habitats or have already disappeared from other regions. It is estimated that there are 2,100 plant species, of which 139 are endemic (meaning they are unique to this location), and some 700 tree species, of which 49 are in danger of extinction.
Apart from being biologically rich, Corcovado is a destination with unique beauty. Its forests have remained largely pristine since the area has never been too populated. When the park was established in 1975, the 300 farmers who lived there were compensated to relocate so that the area could be protected from the harmful effects of agriculture. For almost 40 years, the park has been designated exclusively for conservation, scientific research, environmental education, and regulated ecotourism.
These characteristics make Corcovado a dream destination for nature-loving visitors, including both casual ecotourists and hardcore backpackers. The park has a dozen trails running through its virgin forests, varying between half a mile (1 km) and 12 miles (20 km). If you are quiet and have a bit of luck, it is possible to catch a glimpse of the animals that live here.
Crossing these trails leads to the park's 12 miles (20 km) of beautiful beaches, though swimmers should exercise caution because the shores are quite rocky, the currents are very strong, and the waters are often inhabited by crocodiles and bull sharks. There are four range stations that serve as access points for tourists. All visitors who enter the park must have an admission ticket and register with the rangers. Two of these stations offer lodging, including rooms with bunk beds as well as campsites for adventurous tourists who wish to spend the night in Corcovado and cover more of the park.
The visitors that prefer one-day tours can stay in nearby areas. The tours to the park depart from Drake's Bay, Sierpe, Dominical, and Puerto Jiménez, all ecotourism sites of great beauty in their own right. Drake's Bay is usually the preferred departure point for tourists because of its beautiful beaches. Those who choose to depart from Sierpe have the advantage of crossing the scenic wetlands and the Térraba-Sierpe forest mangroves, the second largest wetland in Latin America. Sierpe is also known for its stone spheres, a set of more than 500 petroshperes created by the Indians more than 100 years ago. These are considered unique in the world for their number, size, perfection, and abstract organization.
The Osa Peninsula offers various sustainable hotels and ecolodges that you can find listed on SustainableTrip.org.
