Costa Rica

by Les Beletsky and Elizabeth Beletsky, Les; Barrett, Priscilla; Beadle, David; Dennis, David; Myers, John; Orians

Book Overview

Most travellers to Costa Rica want to experience its lush tropical forests and catch glimpses of exotic wildlife; toucans and parrots, hummingbirds and hawks, monkeys and big cats, frogs and toads, crocodiles, and (yes) snakes. Here is all the information you will need to find, identify and learn about Costa Rica's magnificent wildlife. The author, himself a wildlife biologist and experienced ecotraveller, visited national parks, reserves, and other...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1566565294
• ISBN13: 9781566565295
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: Interlink Books
• Length: 414 Pages
• Weight: 1.89 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.6" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

excellent nature guide

This guide has got three sections: an introduction to the neotropical ecosystems, a description of families of animal, and a section with pictures, for purposes of identification.The second section is for people who are willing to dig deeper into this stuff, the first section gives a good introduction into Casta Rica and it's ecology.To shallow for professionals, to deep for absolute beginners (only the last section will appeal to them), but very good stuff for the informed layman!

Excellent Resource

This book provides a fascinating, well-written and often humorous overview of Costa Rican natural history as well as a detailed description of the most often seen wildlife. I cannot overstate how much this book enhanced my trip to Costa Rica and gave me a greater understanding of what I was seeing. It is not exhaustive, but unless you want to carry multiple, subject-specific books with you, this is the one to bring. It had information on virtually every bird and creature I saw there.

As Goldilocks would say "just right'

Not too big, not too small. Just the right amount of information. This book is exceptionally easy to read. It's well organized, funny and full of good science and interesting lore. Two other qualities makes this book outstanding. First, it describes and illustrates only the birds that you are most likely to see. Other books gave me too many choices. This was my first try at birding and of the 55 different birds I saw, all but one were in this book. Second, this book also covers all the other wildlife that you may be lucky enough to see. Monkeys, lizards, coatis, and red poison- dart frogs - they're all in there. However, if you like being a loner don't buy this book. It's a friend maker - everyone wanted to borrow it. Wherever we went it was "Can I see your book for a minute please? You may want to bring or read more books but...this is the one you'll always carry in your backpack and bring to the breakfast table. Enjoy!

A must-carry reference for the ecotourist in Costa Rica!

This is the first really comprehensive, backback-suitable wildlife guide for ecotouring in Costa Rica that I've come across. It combines information from the best possible sources and includes much of what you are likely to encounter in various regions of the country. Well-organized and easy to use, this is a must-carry reference guide! My thanks and congratulations to the author!

Beautiful naturalist's handbook

From El Planeta Platica: An impressive first edition, not as much a tourist's guidebook as a naturalist's handbook. Color illustrations document 350 of Costa Rica's most common species as well as endangered animals.