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RARA AVIS |
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RARA AVIS , 17km south of Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, and about 80km
northeast of San José, offers one of the most thrilling and authentic
eco-tourism experiences in Costa Rica, featuring both primary rainforest
and some secondary cover dating from about thirty years ago. Established
in 1983, Rara Avis is both a tourist lodge and a private rainforest
preserve, dedicated to the conservation, study and farming of the area's
biodiversity. Its ultimate objective is to show that the rainforest can
be profitable for an indefinite period, giving local smallholders a
viable alternative to clearcutting for their cattle. Rara Avis also
functions as a research station , accommodating student groups and
volunteers whose aim is to develop rainforest products - orchids, palms
and so forth - as crops.
Rara Avis's flora is as diverse as you might expect from a premontane
rainforest. The best way to learn to spot different flowers, plants,
trees and their respective habitats is to go on a walk with one of the
knowledgeable guides . Especially interesting plants include the stained-glass
palm tree , a rare ornamental specimen, and the walking palm , whose
fingertip or tentacle-like roots can propel it over more than a metre of
ground in its lifetime, as it "walks" in search of water. Orchids are
numerous, as are non-flowering bromeliads and heliconias. A mind-boggling
number of bird species have been identified, and it's likely that more
have yet to be discovered. Among the more common mammals are monkeys,
tapirs, ocelots and jaguars, though the last three are rarely seen.
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