By Greg Warburton
THE CLUB launched the 2025 program with a scintillating presentation by wildlife tour guide, Dianna Papenfus. She spoke on the mind-blowing biodiversity of the tiny Central American country of Costa Rica.
Dianna and Club member, Lindsay, were part of a tour led by Coate’s Wildlife Tours there in October last year and had much to report. The audience was taken on a journey to rainforest-clad mountains, volcanoes, rushing rivers and waterfalls.
Images of a vast array of wildlife including dazzling bird species like the legendary Quetzal kept us all enthralled. Despite its tiny size, only 51,000 square kilometres, Costa Rica is home to more species of native birds than the entire Australian Continent.
In fact, Costa Rica is the most biodiverse country in Latin America. Jaguars still prowl the jungles. The jungle is also home to other mammals such as the strange Tapir, and the two-toed and three-toed sloths.
Colourful frogs and reptiles add to the seemingly endless variety.
The Costa Rican government dispensed with its military in 1948. It now invests in tourism, environmental
sustainability, renewable energy, conservation and education, an enviable model that benefits the people and the wildlife.
This article was published in the March 2025 edition of the Toodyay Herald, p. 34.
The Toodyay Naturalists’ Club welcomes sightings and observations of flora, fauna and all areas of natural history. To add your sightings, email secretary@toodyaynats.org.au or submit a sighting via our online form.
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