A loud, guttural noise echoed across the trees of the rainforest. Startled, our group looked around, but our guide waved his hands dismissively. “Just some Howler Monkeys,” he muttered, picking up his binoculars and scanning the canopy around us. “They’re over there; nothing to worry about.”
As we continued our slow but steady hike, our boots became increasingly wet and muddy, and our clothes grew damp with sweat in the hot, humid climate. However, nothing could dampen our spirits – around us the wilderness of the jungle enveloped our group, and every few minutes or so we would stop to admire the incredible wildlife around us.
Our class on herpetology – the study of reptiles and amphibians – was in Costa Rica for spring break. As an Organismic and Evolutionary Biology concentrator, I had jumped at the chance to learn more about the fascinating world of “herps,” and the field trip promised to be an exciting way to observe reptiles and amphibians out in the wild. Our class first stayed at Palo Verde Biological Research Station on the western coast of Costa Rica, and we were now on the eastern coast at La Selva, another research station.
As we marched deep through the rainforest, nature continued to display her incredible biodiversity. Leaf-cutter ants scurried beneath us, and we observed a sloth lazily climbing a tree above our heads. Capuchins and toucans peered down, and in the distance we observed a pack of peccaries and a pair of Great Curassows, perhaps the strangest birds I’ve seen. The eyes of giant spiders eerily reflected our lights at night, and small bats and nocturnal birds fluttered around in the darkness.
However, our class was most eager to observe the herpetological diversity, and both sites did not disappoint. At Palo Verde, large Ctenosaurs – distinct iguanids – roamed the grounds, scurrying away whenever one of us got too close. Crocodiles swam in the river, with their snouts a ubiquitous and ominous presence. We caught several species of anoles, examining the features we had discussed in class, before releasing them back in the wild. La Selva offered just as much diversity. Strawberry poison dart frogs were abundant, with their bright red coloration standing out. We observed (and caught) a caiman, a relative of the crocodile, and snakes – some venomous, some not – were in abundance. The beauty of a yellow eyelash viper wowed us, and we even saw a hog-nosed viper about to consume its prey! Besides vipers, we also saw vine snakes, a coral snake, and glimpses of the fer-de-lance, perhaps one of Costa Rica’s most notorious snakes. The ecological diversity was overwhelming, and our list of species observed grew every day.
The experience in Costa Rica was one that I’ll never forget, and I’ve learned so much from the world-class professors at Harvard and our field trip to Costa Rica. Whether exploring the evolution of vertebrates, learning more about the history of genetics, studying Roman culture in the Age of Augustus, or just watching in awe at a cask-headed lizard in Costa Rica, Harvard has provided so many opportunities.
Learn more about OEB 167: Herpetology, taught by Professor James Hanken and Professor Jonathan Losos, and other exciting courses and research opportunities in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at http://www.oeb.harvard.edu/.
