Passionate love for Nature, Inspiring conservation on the edge of Civilization
Grassroots Conservation
Grassroots conservation includes information and news about human issues and their effects on the environment. What can be done for us to get along with nature? Read this area to see what I have been able to find out works here in Costa Rica.
Common Star spider orb weaver is a short live garden spider that is harmless to humans and beneficial for the environment. Insecticides and poisons are unnecessary for pest control if we Learn, Love, Conserve
The common star spider orb weaver is a short-lived garden inhabitant that poses no threat to humans in any way. If it were to even accidentally pinch you with its tiny fangs the venom is non toxic to humans and painless.
star spider spinnerets view
Female star spider orb weaver is a very evolved albeit short-lived spider
Nature has marvelous ways of creating a beautiful and balanced environment for us without the aid of poisons to exterminate anything at all. Lets try to Learn, Love, Conserve.
When we Free our minds of fear we free our world of poisons that kill innocent creatures that makeup the Web of life we all are a part of.
Trawler fishing families are already in an uproar over the laws governing environmental protection that affect their livelihoods.
These events show how the process is being shaped and what follows for the fisherman and their techniques. For progress to be gradually made in the campaign to reeducate humanity to get along with nature some will appear to pay the greater price, but this is illusion as we will all win in the long run if we protect the habitat from over use.
Whales are currently being sighted off Jaco beach, Herradura and Punta Leona moving south. I have seen them myself from my balcony about 200 yards offshore.
Making local news for their famous journeys http://news.co.cr/whale-watching-season-starts-in-costa-rica/24072/ these behemoths of the deep have come from as far away as Antartica for a vacation or honeymoon or maybe a bigger ritual than those every year since we remember and more, hopefully forever.!
Please remember these are wild animals that need their privacy and safety to recuperate from human pressure, keep your distance and absolutely no fishing around them of any kind.
Costa Rica holds the longest season for humpback whale watching in the world. This whale specie comes to migrate in this country whenever winter comes in the Antarctica (between August to October). Come December to April, other whales come in to Costa Rica from Antarctica to mate and nest.
There aren’t only the humpbacks to see here. Sperm whales, killer whales, pilot whales (which actually come from the family of dolphins) along with dolphins can also be sighted in Costa Ricahttp://www.costaricajourneys.com/whale-watching/
Observe the 1000 meter rule and use telephoto lenses particularly where calving is occurring.
This may not seem touristy but it is the ecologically responsible humans criteria that allows us ALL a time to adjust to our new, (hopefully friendly) behaviors toward each other after so many centuries hunting them down without regard to their innate citizenship.
These mystifying Giants of the marine world should be GPS tagged and declared non human citizens and watched with satellites to protect them wherever they go.
They could then earn a taxable income and pay for their own protection worldwide.
We are the ones that have to convince ourselves first that it is worth it.I know it is when I see them and my heart jumps for joy. Cordially, Capt. Richard Barone in Punta Leona
currently spotting three whales moving south along Jaco coast.
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.
A very old scarlet Macaw nesting ground has been invaded by a small colony of ctenosaurs. Five adults, one very large male and four females sleep in the nest and fight off the two macaws who have tried in vane to reclaim it.
At this point I am documenting and photographing See the Macaws album on Flickr here it to document their behaviors and studying the situation to develop a relocation strategy.
Currently feeding fruit scraps to accustom the Ctenosaurs to a cage and fatten them up so they don’t fit the nest site comfortably.
Scarlet Macaws flying to nest over Punta Leona, Costa Rica. I am currently documenting the trajectory of a young flightless scarlet macaw that recently was blown out of its nest during a storm. The young bird was rescued by local conservation personnel and is currently in a rehab center being fed and paired up with a mate.
Young scarlet macaw rescued after a storm blew it from its nest.
The birds release is planned to be in the area of its original home with the acquisition of a specialized release and quarantine cage. Stay tuned for more pics and eventually an HD video! These glorious creatures are a marvel to behold in their natural habitat. It is an incredible privilege to participate in these conservation efforts.
Scarlet macaw conservation in Costa Rica requires a variety of protected habitats for successful nesting. This ocean view nesting colony may be many macaw generations old and provide a key sanctuary for the species in this area.
Scarlet Macaw nesting in Ceiba tree over Punta Leona
Current Events in the nest site
July 18, 2013 entry 3 Ctenosaur Relocation planning begins.
The 3 member Ctenosaur family should be remove from the scarlet macaws nest. A camera should be used to inspect the nest. The birds should be encouraged to return by repeated cleaning of the site. A quarantine cage may be installed on the site after experts confer on inspection. Carara oficials will be contacted soon.
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
Costa Rica Nature Conservatory 