The Talamanca Highlands has the largest remaining natural forest in Central America, holding an incredible circa. 90% of Costa Rica’s known flora. According to the United Nations Environment Programme: ‘The species diversity is probably unequalled in any other reserve of equivalent size in the world.’ This is to a large extent due to it diversity of habitat types, microclimates and confluence of species between North and South America.
The Talamanca Highlands are popular amongst well informed birdwatchers, since it not only harbours the widest diversity of birdlife in Costa Rica, but an incredible 75% of migrating birds in the Western Hemisphere fly over the main protected area within it: La Amistad National Park.
Amistad means ‘peace’ which reflects the fact that La Amistad National Park straddles both Costa Rica and Panama. This a mountain range that lies on the border between Costa Rica and Panama. Much of the range and the area is conserved through the Amistad International Park, which is also shared between the two countries. This park protects a total area of 400,000 hectares of which the protected zone on the Panama side is marginally larger. The total protected area is larger still on the Costa Rica side, because bordering La Amistad are Tapantí–Macizo de la Muerte National Park, Chirripo National Park and San Gerado de Dota.
The predominant forest cover is known as Talamancan montane forest covering the mountains up to 3000m altitude. Above 1800 m the slopes are dominated by huge oak trees (Quercus costaricensis). Above 3,000 m, the forests changes to areas of sub-páramo, which is dominated by the dwarf bamboo Chusquea, above 3,400 m this becomes Costa Rican páramo - a tropical alpine grassland. The páramo areas are mostly found in the Cerro Chirripo National Park which is vital to the endemic species found here. The highest points within the range are Cerro Chirripó at 3,819 m, and the more accessible high peak, Cerro de la Muerte 3,491m.
Of mammals in the Talamanca range, the area provides an important refuge for jaguars, pumas, ocelots, jaguarundi, giant anteaters and tapir. Of its birdlife, some 600 species can be found here. Some particularly enigmatic species found here include the harpy eagle, three-wattled bellbird, bare-necked umbrella bird and orange-breasted falcon.
San Gerardo de Dota
Continuing on the theme of birds, San Gerardo de Dota is renowned among birders as the best place in Costa Rica to see the Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno). Considered to be among the most striking birds in the world, the quetzals here nest in the nearby cloud forest and can be seen most of the year. April and May are particularly good months. Other birds found here include collared trogons, the emerald toucanet, spangle cheeked tanager and long-tailed silky flycatcher.
