Towards the end of the trip (I'm all out of chronology, forgive me) we spent a few days traveling the Rio San Juan, making our way to and around Lake Managua. Wildlife preserves and rain forest hikes galore. A small sampling of the animals I could bear to catch on film. *Note: the many hairy spiders seen were not photographed. The mice and bats flying through our room, also undocumented.1) Charlie to Toad, above. Eats mosquitoes. Therefore, we are friends.
2) Pablo, the cat. Does not eat mice. Nor does he chase anything that moves. Does eat bird eggs in brightly colored bushes. Also naps in the sun, begs for our food and cleans himself. While small and hard to appreciate the wonder that is Pablo in this picture, it sure does justice to our idyllic surroundings we found ourselves in.
3) A very tiny poison dart frog, found on the hike through the rain forest surroundings of the Refuge Barhtola. Interestingly, the frog has a very comfortable symbiotic relationship with fellow insect, the cutter ant. These ants create massive little aunt superhighways through the forest, ushering pieces of leaves from trees back to their underground dwellings. There, they work to compost the leaf pieces, growing a certain mold on their bed of decaying leaves for nourishment. The cutter ants provide camouflage for the frog, allowing him to go on this froggy business. Surprising, giving his bright colors. Note: the leaf in the foreground is about the size of my palm, the frog = much smaller. 
5) The caiman, cleverly concealed in this bog. At night we row boated along the river from Barhtola, searching for these caimans, a small crocodile, native to Central America. When you shine a flashlight on the water, they are noticeable by their glowing red eyes. Luckily, I only came upon a little baby caiman in the water. Whew. 
6) Oh, orchids. You are just as fun as the bananas, avocados and mangoes stalking our every move with their wonderful presence.
No comments:
Post a Comment