Step into the rainforest with students in our high school Career Costa Rica program as they search for sea turtles at dawn, hike through Corcovado National Park, and discover the remarkable biodiversity of Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula.
Our final day at Osa Conservation began before sunrise, with the group setting out on two very different adventures.
Half of us woke at 4:30 a.m. and walked along the beach for an hour and a half, searching for signs of sea turtle nests. Although we sadly found only empty shells, each one offered evidence of the fragile lives beginning beneath the sand and the challenges young turtles face on their journey toward the sea.
The other half of the group rose at 5:00 a.m. and followed a forest trail to the observation tower. From high above the ground, we watched the rainforest awaken beneath us. The canopy stretched into the distance like a rolling green ocean, alive with birdsong and flashes of color. Among the many birds we spotted was a brilliant blue dacnis, glowing like a small sapphire among the leaves.
Later that morning, at around 10:00 a.m., we began a hiking expedition into Corcovado National Park. Our guides, Thomas and Danni, seemed to notice every movement in the trees and every rustle beneath the leaves. With their help, we encountered an incredible variety of wildlife, including a northern tamandua, spider monkeys, squirrel monkeys, howler monkeys, red brocket deer, white-nosed coatis, sac-winged bats, and an abundance of scarlet macaws soaring and calling overhead.
For nearly four hours, we followed the forest trails through one of the most biologically rich places on Earth. Every bend seemed to reveal another creature, another sound, or another reminder of how much life can exist within a single landscape. Eventually, tired but exhilarated, we returned to the Osa Conservation campus.
Our exploration of Costa Rica’s wildlife continued with an expertly crafted presentation on bats by Dennis Wille. Drawing on more than five years of experience studying these fascinating animals, Dennis introduced us to the remarkable world of the order Chiroptera. We learned about the evolutionary history of bats, challenged common misconceptions, explored the diversity of bat species, and discovered how their specialized diets allow them to serve as pollinators, seed dispersers, and insect predators.
To close the day, we traded binoculars and hiking boots for paint and creativity. Each of us designed a stamped tote bag, creating a colorful keepsake to carry home with us.
As our final evening at Osa Conservation came to an end, we found ourselves reflecting on everything this place had given us: early mornings, muddy trails, scarlet wings against a green canopy, and lessons that could never have been learned inside a classroom.
Although it is difficult to leave, our journey is not over. We are carrying the wonder of Osa with us as we travel onward to our next destination, Jaguar’s Jungle Lodge.
—Bodie F. & Korbin W.
To learn more about our high school Career Costa Rica program, click here!
