Everytime I go to Mexico I love seeing Great Kiskadees. They’re beautiful birds, and they’re always calling, it seems, so you always know they’re around. But there are other species of flycatchers that look very much like them. The Social Flycatcher has a smaller bill and a slightly different facial pattern. I’ve seen those in […]
Tag: Costa Rica
New Species of See-Through Frog Found, Looks Like Kermit
Calling all Muppets fans: A new species of see-through glass frog found in Costa Rica looks just like Kermit. The lime-green amphibian, which took the Internet by storm this week, has bulging white eyes with perfect black pupils, much like Jim Henson’s musical puppet. But this frog can’t carry a tune. In fact, it has […]
After a cruel attack, an injured toucan will get its beak back, thanks to 3D printing
It was a shocking case of animal cruelty that caused outrage in Costa Rica and beyond last month. The victim? A male toucan, since nicknamed Grecia, whose beak was horribly mutilated by a group of teenagers. Grecia’s story inspired people all across South America to turn their anger into action – and thanks to a […]
Hummingbirds Use Their Delicate Beaks as Dagger-Like Weapons
The study, published in the journal Behavioral Ecology, focuses on the Long-billed hermit (Phaethornis longirostris) – a large species of hummingbird native to Costa Rica, central Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela and western Ecuador. This bird averages 15 cm long and has a mass of 6 grams. It has a very long bill that is more than […]
Scientists catalog the world’s 10,000th reptile
As of this year, scientists have named and described over 10,000 reptiles, marking a new milestone in cataloging one of the most diverse vertebrate groups. Last week, the Reptile Database, an online catalog of all the world’s living reptiles, announced it had passed 10,000 species. “Officially, we have logged 10,038 reptile species into the database, […]
Dolphin megapod seen for the first time – in pictures
A gathering of 3000-5000 spinner dolphins, known as a megapod, is filmed underwater for the first time for a BBC series, Dolphins – Spy in the Pod. Two robotic ‘spy creatures’ with cameras in their mouths and eyes view the dolphins gathering to socialise in the nutrient-rich waters off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica […]
Longline fisheries in Costa Rica hook tens of thousands of sea turtles every year
Hundreds of kilometers of commercial fishing lines slither along coastal waters in Costa Rica, hooking thousands of mahi-mahi and many other marketable fish. But when scientists scrutinized fishermen’s catch, they were shocked by the staggering number of sea turtles accidentally snagged on the lines. A study published Aug. 20 in the Journal of Experimental Marine […]
Fishermen get crafty to circumvent shark fin ban
Authorities in Costa Rica have identified a new method used by fishermen to circumvent a ban on killing sharks for their fins. According to an INTERPOL alert, fishermen are now leaving a band of skin to keep the fin attached to the spine when they kill sharks. This approach takes advantage of an apparent loophole […]