A Jungle of Gratitude

by Gemma Early (Australia)

I didn't expect to find Costa Rica

Barely 24 hours in Costa Rica and we find ourselves hopping through a mud bog on the river bank at La Pavona on the edge of Tortuguero National Park. It’s thirty-eight degrees Celsius and the humidity envelops me like a wet cloth. I am wearing bright coloured sneakers…well they were bright but who cares, the adventure has begun! I feel like Indiana Jones ready to explore the jungle (minus the whip). We hop on a shallow-draft boat to start our journey towards the lush ecological sanctuary that is Tortuguero. The roaring motor matches the pace of my brain, overloading with excitement for the animals I am hoping to spot in the next week. Sweat drips down my legs with the weight of my backpack on my lap not helping. I'm regretting packing heavy lenses and a lifetime supply of mosquito repellent. As we cruise it's like we’re on a water ride at a theme park, everything green and serene. Though instead of some animatronic popping out for a fright, a mini Amazon welcomes us with sightings of Toucans, Anhinga’s, Emerald basilisk’s, and the sound of Howler Monkeys in the distance. Goodness knows how many animals were watching us from the jungle. Docking at our lodge I’m overcome with the surrounding stillness. No cars, no hustle and bustle, no people glued to their phones. A tropical haven. Later that afternoon, our guide Paulo takes us on a walk alongside the ocean towards the village. Thirsty for coconut water and local connection, we meander chatting with delight about what we’ve seen already. Paulo stops suddenly. “Look,” he says pointing towards a beachside tree canopy. I follow his hand and freeze. A dark shadow moves amongst the branches. With a kind of elegance that almost looks painful, the figure reaches ever so slowly for a flower. With great care and a Mona Lisa smile, it draws its prize back to its mouth. I could cry, a Three-Toed Sloth! All the nature documentaries in the world could not have prepared me for this moment. I knew it was probable I would see sloths this trip but here I am, freshly landed on an archipelago in the Caribbean ocean staring at the star of Costa Rica. Composing myself, I take out my zoom lens, I am now thankful I packed it. As we watch and capture this slow-moving arboreal mammal, Paulo explains to us the various species and their lifestyle habits. I’m amazed to learn a way to evade predators is camouflage with algae growing symbiotically on their fur. How sloths hang upside down so they don’t waste energy on balancing. How they come down to the ground only a few times a month, if not less, to go to the toilet and that it’s quite the production. We characterise sloths for living like it's always Sunday and yet this couldn’t be further from the truth. They’ve survived for millions of years because they’ve perfected one strategy, slow and steady. Maybe we should all take a leaf out of their book. Realising we cannot watch forever and the promise from Paulo of more sloths to come, we continue to the village in a daze. Finding a coconut vendor, we toast with joy and drink this special moment in. Dusk looms and we start to make our way back when we notice a group hovering around something on the beach, something huge. My heart racing for a second time that day, we slowly approach and my eyes are gifted with yet another Costa Rican wonder. A Leatherback Turtle is carving a nest with frantic but graceful whips of her front flippers. She's being protected by the Sea Turtle Conservancy. Walking to the lodge I feel overwhelmed and it’s not the humidity. We’re surrounded by beautiful, protected biodiversity. In one day I’ve been more enriched by nature than in a lifetime, something everyday to the locals of this beautiful country yet it is clear they do not take it for granted. One of the few places left where man and nature are in respectful harmony and tourists are allowed to witness but only with respect. One thing is for certain though, it’s paradise for all.