(Many pictures of this article were taken by our son Emilio, belong to him, and are published here under his permission)

Costa Rica is placed in a region of great biodiversity. A dorsal mountain range divides the country in two sides opening to two oceans. The altitudinal series at both sides, going from the sea level to near 3,500m above it, creates a collection of ecological systems that include eight main types of forests (from tropical dry to alpine), high mountain grasslands, wet lowlands with palm-tree forests, and mangrove ... (more)