Ticking off the wildlife checklist

The Manuel Antonio national park is a humid tropical forest. It isn't very big but it is rich with wildlife. We had planned to just take a walk through it paying just $16 each for the privilege but we were persuaded by a tout on the way in to pay an additional $20 each and walk with Felix, a guide with a telescope. He said we could pay at the end if we enjoyed it and he more or less guaranteed a sloth sighting. Having missed seeing any so far, we decided to go with him. And it was worth it. 

We saw two and three toed sloths... Two sightings of each. There are lots of differences between the 2 and 3 toed sloths.... The one in the picture is a two toed. Actually they all have three toes on their hind legs, but one has two fingers and the other three. The two toed one has blond fur, the other grey. The two toed are really hard to tell the difference between male and female, the three has an orange marking on the back of the males. The three toed are good swimmers, the two can't swim. The two is nocturnal, the three isn't and one eats insects and leaves and the other only leaves, but I can't remember which is which! Probably doesn't matter! The three toed has a happy face and t'other doesn't....

We finally saw howler monkeys and white faced monkeys. We saw bats, spiders, caterpillars and two katydids. We saw a hawk sitting on a branch. 

And we saw a fiery billed toucan. We saw two deer - Costa Rica's national mammal. 

Felix also showed us a spiders web that they make bullet proof vests out of (really?) and the leaves they make Panama hats from!! We smelled citronella from the sap of a tree and were warned about a poison ivy with prickles that will give you a rash. We watched an army of leaf cutter ants going about their business and we marvelled at the glorious beach we came to half way through the walk. Lots of white faced monkeys at the beach. 

As with all the guides, Felix was keen to tell us stuff about the wildlife in his country and there is only so much I can retain but I do remember there are umpteen species of bats that can be divided into five types.... By what they eat.... Fruit, insects, fish, leaves and blood! The ones we saw today were fruit bats. Apparently bats always sleep with their eyes open - why? Because they have no eyelids! One of the species of bat we saw creates a tent out of a leaf to sit under! 

Boy, was it hot though walking through the park. According to the weather app, today it is 31 degrees, but feels like 33! According me it is more like 36 degrees with high humidity! Its no wonder the sloths don't move very far or very fast, I know just how they feel. 

This afternoon we are heading out on the ocean......now where is the sun block!!