The Central American tapir (Tapirus bairdii) isn't flashy. It doesn't roar, climb trees, or show up very often. In fact, you can spend days hiking through the forest and never see one. They're experts at staying hidden, especially because they're usually out and about after sunset. Some of their main characteristics are: Appearance: It’s impossible to miss its flexible, tube-like snout, which it uses to grasp fruits and leaves. They...
Spend enough time in a tropical forest along the Pacific coast and you'll probably hear birds before you see them. Maybe a troop of monkeys crashes through the canopy overhead. If you're lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of a wild cat disappearing into thick vegetation. But most of the forest's residents aren't nearly that easy to spot. Some of them go about their entire lives almost unnoticed, quietly...
Every July 28, World Nature Conservation Day comes around with a simple reminder: the Earth is very important. We rely on it more than most people realize. Clean water, stable weather, food systems, and even coastal protection during storms all connect back to functioning ecosystems. The problem is those systems are under pressure almost everywhere now. The Pacific coast is one of the clearest examples of both what’s at stake...
The gray fox is not as ubiquitous as other fox species as they veer away from urban areas and are hard to spot in the wild. Their salt and pepper color allows them to blend with nature and avoid people. A bit stockier and more agile than the red fox, gray foxes’ total length range is 31 to 47 inches with weights of around 6 to 15 lbs. They are...
Most people don’t go to the Pacific coast thinking about vultures. They think about waves, beaches, fishing boats, or seabirds diving into the ocean. Black vultures are usually just part of the background. A dark shape in the sky, or a few birds on a roadside pole. Something you notice for a second and then forget. But once you start paying attention, they become hard to ignore. Black vultures (Coragyps...
We all love turtles, don’t we? These beautiful creatures often lurk in the sea and on land! Sea turtles aren’t an exception to this either: they are some of the most majestic creatures on the planet! Getting to watch one of them swimming through the water is a beautiful thing, going through the coral reefs and simply sunbathing under the sun on the beach. If you’ve never “stumbled upon a...
The Pacific Ocean is enormous, larger than most people can easily imagine. The coastline connected to it changes constantly. One area may have freezing water, rough waves, and dark rocky cliffs, while a few thousand miles away the same ocean can look tropical, with coral reefs and sea turtles.. That difference is a big reason why the Pacific Coast has so many marine animals. It hosts a diverse array of...
This year’s pandemic is causing extra poaching for the pet trade in Central America. Endangered baby spider monkeys are now much more likely to be stolen from their mothers and sold into a life of captivity. Many want a baby spider monkey pet, but that doesn’t mean they’re meant to live with us as a pet. But there’s good news: you can help! Giving Tuesday officially kicks off the holiday...
The coyote (its scientific name is Canis latrans, though most people never use that) is a wild canine that lives across a huge part of North and Central America. They are versatile, medium-sized canines found in North America, frequently referred to as the "prairie wolf" or "brush wolf." Weighing between 20 and 50 pounds, they are smaller than wolves, featuring grayish-brown fur, yellow eyes, and prominent, pointed ears. They are...
Did you know that the mantled howler monkey (Alouatta palliata) is a New World Monkey? These interesting species are one of the five families of primates residing in South and Central America as well as Mexico. Let’s start with their characteristics: these special animals are often seen as threatening, judged by their looks. Why? Usually large, stocky and with a loud roar, it can be compared to a lion! Isn’t...
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