This is the final of the 3 Galleries I've posted from my trip to Costa Rica in early March, 2004. The subject matter here will not be everyone's 'cup of tea' but I really enjoyed the tremendous diversity we found in Costa Rica. It seemed incomplete to not include a small sampling of these exotic critters.

I can't overemphasize the diversity of life in this part of the world. The images I've posted here are a small percentage of what I shot, what I shot as a small percentage of what I saw, and what I saw in the 10 days I was down there represents only a small percentage of what can be seen if you have enough time. I'm hoping to get back down there some time.

All Content © Donald L. Cohen, MD
All Rights Reserved

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Red-Eyed
    Tree Frog # 1

    
Image # 02508

    
Tortuguero Lodge Grounds

    
Costa Rica

    
Canon 100/f2.8 USM Macro

    
ISO 200, f/16, 1/250 second

    
Manual Metering, 550EX/Stofen
    Omnibounce at 0

    
Handheld
 

This is one of the most beautiful creatures I have ever seen. The colors, features, markings, details, were unbelievable. Our guide Jonathan heard and captured this specimen the night before, took good care of him until the next day.

     
 

    
Red-Eyed
    Tree Frog # 2

    
Image # 02505

    
Tortuguero Lodge Grounds

    
Costa Rica
 

    
Canon 100/f2.8 USM Macro

    
ISO 200, f/16, 1/250 second

    
Manual Metering, 550EX/Stofen
    Omnibounce at 0

    
Handheld
 

We tried to 'pose' this frog as naturally as possible, simulating some of the places where it would normally be found. Here it's climbing up the side of a tree.

Red-Eyed Tree Frog # 3 Image # 02524 Tortuguero Lodge Grounds Costa Rica

Canon 100/f2.8 USM Macro ISO 200, f/16, 1/250 second Manual Metering, 550EX/Stofen Omnibounce at 0 Handheld

One final shot, sitting on a Heliconia plant ("lobster claw") which were extremely common in Costa Rica.

     
 

    
Basilisk

    
Image # 02352

    
Tortuguero Lodge Grounds

    
Costa Rica
 

    
Canon 600L/f4 IS with 1.4x
    II Teleconverter

    
ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/250 second

    
Manual Metering, 500EX/BB
    at 0

    
Gitzo 1329/ArcaSwiss B1/Wimberley
    Sidekick
 

We saw several of these while at Tortuguero. Also called the "Jesus Christ lizard," my wife had the chance to observe the behavior for which it has this name. She found one at the edge of a small pond, and when she got too close, it took off, splashing across the pond's surface, literally walking on water.

Elephant Beetle 1 Image # 02533 Roadside, en route from Tortuguero to San Jose Costa Rica

Canon 100/f2.8 USM Macro ISO 400, f/6.3, 1/100 second Manual Metering at 0 Handheld

Elephant Beetle 2 Image # 02537 Roadside, en route from Tortuguero to San Jose Costa Rica

Canon 100/f2.8 USM Macro ISO 400, f/8, 1/100 second Manual Metering, 550EX/Stofen Omnibounce at 0 Handheld

I couldn't resist including just one more shot, from a different perspective, of this impressive critter.

Colobura dirce caterpillar Image # 2484 Trail behind Tortuguero Lodge Costa Rica

Canon 100/f2.8 USM Macro ISO 200, f/16, 1/200 second Manual Metering, 550EX/Stofen Omnibounce at -1/3 Handheld

One afternoon our guide, Jonathan, led a few of us on a walk through the jungle, along 'trails' behind the Tortuguero Lodge. Due to the fairly heavy recent rain, much of the trail was underwater, and even though we wore rubber boots to near our knees, we still had to be very careful to avoid getting soaked. This was one of the most unsual looking caterpillars I've ever seen in my life. It took me an hour or more of searching on the internet to i.d. this species; I think this is correct, but if not, please email me.

Strawberry Poison Dart Frog Image # 02490 Tortuguero Lodge Grounds & Trail Costa Rica

Canon 100/f2.8 USM Macro ISO 200, f/16, 1/200 second Manual Metering, 550EX/Stofen Omnibounce at -1/3 Handheld

As we planned this trip, I was really hoping to see and photograph one of these, and I was very happy to come across quite a number of these at the base of trees in various parts of Tortuguero. The recent rains certainly helped here. And at 1" in size, they were considerably smaller than I anticipated, and I really had to get close to them with my 100mm macro lens to get them to an adequate size in the frame.

Eyelash Viper at Rest Image # 02492 Tortuguero Lodge Grounds Costa Rica

Canon 100/f2.8 Macro with 1.4x II TC and 12 mm extension ISO 200, f/16, 1/250 second Manual Metering, 550EX/Stofen Omnibounce at -1/3 Handheld

Shortly after our arrival at Tortuguero, I was very excited to learn that someone had spotted an Eyelash Viper on the grounds. My son Sam is an avid amateur herpetologist, and I knew he in particular would appreciate any photos I could get. Jonathan was very careful to not let us get too close, as these snakes are quite poisonous, but we still managed to get in pretty tight. As a pure coincidence, if you look carefully (it doesn't show up as well at 'web' size), there is a mosquito right under its head.

Eyelash Viper in Motion Image # 02359 Tortuguero Lodge Grounds Costa Rica

Canon 100/f2.8 Macro with 1.4x II TC and 12 mm extension ISO 200, f/8, 1/200 second Manual Metering, 550EX/Stofen Omnibounce at -2 Handheld

This was actually taken a couple of days before the one above, when a couple of us were shooting. Our efforts to get close disturbed the viper, and it started heading off to find a different place to rest. As it did, it provided us with a nice opportunity to capture it in motion. The background here is pretty distracting, but that's where they live!

Micrathena sagittata Image # 02470 Trail behind Tortuguero Lodge Costa Rica

Canon 100/f2.8 USM Macro ISO 400, f/11, 1/200 second Manual Metering, 550EX/Stofen Omnibounce at -2 Handheld

Another of the very exotic bugs we came across during our hike on the jungle trail behind the lodge. Again, not everybody's cup of tea, but I found them fascinating. This also required a fair amount of time on the web searching for an i.d., and I think I have it right. But if not, please email me with the correct identification.

Vine Snake Image # 02347 Tortuguero Lodge Grounds Costa Rica

Canon 600L/f4 IS ISO 400, f/8, 1/100 second Evaluative Metering at -2/3, 550EX at -1 1/3 Gitzo 1329/ArcaSwiss B1/Wimberley Sidekick

This snake was found in a bush in the back of the lodge, and several of us quickly set up to capture it. This one isn't poisonous, so there wasn't quite the excitement as with the eyelash viper.

Unknown Beetle Image # 02471 Trail behind Tortuguero Lodge Costa Rica

Canon 100/f2.8 USM Macro ISO 400, f/11, 1/200 second Manual Metering, 550EX/Stofen Omnibounce at 0 Handheld

Yet another incredible bug found during our hike behind the lodge. I have spent a fair amount of time searching the web, but haven't come across even a reasonable match to identify this beauty. If you know what it is, please email me.

Brown Blunt-headed Vinesnake Image # 02519 Tortuguero Lodge Grounds Costa Rica

Canon 100/f2.8 USM Macro ISO 200, f/16, 1/250 second Manual Metering, 550EX/Stofen Omnibounce at 0 Handheld

Another non-poisonous snake, this one was very cooperative, and we 'posed' it in various locations for our images. Update Oct. 9, 2005: I received an email from Vincent Farallo who corrected my initial mis-identification of this snake as a "False Fer De Lance" indicating that this is in fact a Brown Blunt-headed Vinesnake, Imantodes cenchoa. Thanks, Vincent.

Argiope species Image # 02479 Trail behind Tortuguero Lodge Costa Rica

Canon 100/f2.8 USM Macro ISO 200, f/11, 1/200 second Manual Metering, 550EX/Stofen Omnibounce at 0 Handheld

As I searched the identification for this spider, I was inclined to think it was an Argiope, but I wasn't confident enough to state it definitively. I received emails from several individuals, who all indicated their opinions that this was an Argiope - so thanks to Scott Duncan, Robert Belinic and Sudhir Shivaram for their assistance.

Army Ants Image # 02486 Trail behind Tortuguero Lodge Costa Rica

Canon 100/f2.8 USM Macro ISO 200, f/16, 1/200 second Manual Metering, 550EX/Stofen Omnibounce at -1/3 Handheld

We came across this trail of army ants while walking on the jungle trail, and Jonathan explained that as indicated by the ants carrying the larvae, this army was moving to a new location. The sheer numbers in their colonies, along with their aggressive behavior, can make them extremely potent predators, and according to some reading I was doing, can kill lizards, snakes, chickens, pigs, goats, scorpions, etc.