Idea #830 – Observing wildlife from the walkways of Arenal Park
Místico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park is located on the Arenal Fault in a transitional rainforest in the Arenal Volcano National Park region of Costa Rica. The park, dedicated to forest and canopy, is located 600 meters above sea level and concentrates 250 hectares of mature forest, with an annual rainfall of 3,500 to 6,000 mm and a relative humidity of 88 at 92%. It is a very diverse forest, which lies between the high and low altitude forest boundary, incorporating animal and plant species from both areas. The Arenal Park trail stretches for 3 kilometers, punctuated by 15 bridges, including 6 suspended. The treetops remain a diverse environment almost unknown to science. Visiting the forest through the canopy offers a completely different perspective than from the ground, with diverse species of epiphytic plants, birds and butterflies.
The flora of Arenal Park is represented by more than 700 species. The fauna is a beautiful example of biodiversity, reminding us that the park is part of a biological corridor that connects the Guanacaste volcanic chain to the Tilarán volcanic chain. This corridor allows the movement of large mammals or megafauna such as the puma, jaguar and tapir around the two ranges. The excellent visibility of the bridges allows you to take advantage of the massive migration of birds of prey between November and February each year. It allows the observation of herpetofauna such as frogs, snakes and lizards, as well as mammals, martillas, raccoons, ocelots and margays.
Some Pictures
Where is it ?
Parc Arenal, La Fortuna, Alajuela, Costa Rica