Flying deftly around the dark cave the bat circles erratically to distract me from the females and young hanging overhead.
This is not just a Halloween character but a real resident of my coastal front yard. I know how this furry flying mammal thinks and feels and I respect its space and urge to protect its family. Silently I pay my respects, film and move out without to much stress to the little bats budding solitary colony.
There are nearly 1,000 species of bats ranging in size from the tiny bumble-bee bat of Thailand , to the vulture size Fox bats. Their diet consists primarily of insects, but some species eat nectar and fruits. The vampire bats drink the blood of other animals.
Bats contribute to and maintain biodiversity by enriching and replenishing forests and in pollinating and dispersing the seeds of fruit and nut trees. Literally thousands of economically important plants depend on nectar feeding bats for pollination of their flowers.
Bats are the only major predators of night flying insects. Guano from bats continues to be a major fertilizer in many countries.
Much more could be said about bats but realize that they are not flying rats or vermin to be mistreated when we find our un-maintained dwellings have “sprouted” a colony.
Bats are highly evolved, interesting and vital residents of the earth worthy of every effort to guard their well being. Learn, Love, Conserve CRNC cr nature
Jaco Surf school personel and CRUZ ROJA of Costa Rica took blazingly quick professional action to save the lives of ten teenage tourists playing in the rough surf of Jaco Beach, a world famous surf destination yesterday afternoon.
one lucky teen out of TEN waits for surfers and RED CROSS to search the high waves for their friends.
I was present to film this and will post an edited version in HD soon, for now here are a few pictures.
JACO SURF SCHOOL Owner Gustavo Castillo, Founder, Instructor, saved ten tourists from drowning at the same time
The most shocking aspect for me to witness was the ungratefulness and ignorance of the tourist group which had been warned by several other lifeguards on the beach that afternoon of the serious currents.
As is typical of drowning and near drowning events, for many of the teens present it was their first experience in the ocean. Some of the teens were in visible shock after the event as they walked off the beach while others appeared to brush the event off in denial of the near tragedy.
However for the most part the typical tourist group seemed unimpressed as did the few typical gringo bar flys present that shrugged unamused by a grateful tourist bystanders applause for the guards success and safety.
Not only did the tourists appear ungrateful but they crassly displayed their lack of social skills leaving the lifeguards, ambulance personnel and surfers without so much as a thank you, let alone an offering of a drink or lunch!
Seeing the exhaustion, fear and redness of these tourists lucky to be alive shows you how brave real beach professionals are and in what great shape they maintain not only their bodies but their environments.
CRUZ ROJA lifeguards beach transport, when you see them RESPECT, they are Professionals
These details escape many MEDIA Outlets abroad when “Costa Rica” makes “Bad” news but being here for over ten years has given me a lot more perspective.
Costa Ricas RED CROSS are VOLUNTEERS!!!! They DO NOT GET PAID for saving you or to get trained. Minutes later the RED CROSS Lifeguard was seen tooling around town on an old bmx bike, superhero humbly hidden from our view.
Gustavo Castillo and his guardian angel gcastillo@jacosurfschool.com
CRUZ ROJA LIFEGUARD posing with grateful tourist bystander
I personally applaud these guardians of the sea wherever they be for life and death and friendship come and go on these waves everyday as they calmly gaze the beach waiting to be the real superheroes again in a humble unsung way.
Tourist should realize that their behaviors are connected to many other peoples lives. Who would be crying if one of our Hero Lifeguards died in the line of an unsung heroic duty?
Swimmers are clearly warned in JACO
Be a responsible tourist when at any destination local or otherwise please. One last bonus picture for those who would like to know the TEN Commandments for being a Super Hero Surfer. Thanks for following.
Conservation is a term many leave for institutions and agencies yet true conservation works best when it starts at home.
If you have ideas related to how you conserve please fell free to share them with this readership.
Thank you for your conscientiousness. Together we can all bring the dream of a healthy planet and society into reality.
Live, Learn, Conserve. cordially Capt. Richard Barone
Flying deftly around the dark cave the bat circles erratically to distract me from the females and young hanging overhead.
Costa Rica Nature Conservatory 