Between tapirs and celestial water

We enjoyed a lovely cup of coffee as we awoke to the sound of birds, then prepared for our special adventure: tubing down the only vivid blue river in all of Costa Rica.

FUN FACT: Did you know that the river's light blue hue results from an optical phenomena caused by the mineral aluminosilicate, which permits light to reflect in the water and gives the water its light blue hue?

We fully enjoy the tubing experience, share it with our new friends, and have moments that we will always cherish as a high point of the Climate Change Mitigation program.

The day awaited us with more surprises! 

Bijagua is a town in Costa Rica that stands out for two great treasures: its celestial river and its forests that contain one of the most important populations of tapirs in the country.

To find the tapirs, Costa Rica's largest mammal, we traveled to Tapir Valley. Due to habitat loss, this mammal is considered to be critically endangered. The good news is that there are people working hard in Bijagua to protect the species' habitat and to care for the local tapirs.

When we arrived at Tapir Valley, we were lucky enough to spot “Mamita” an adult tapir who is expecting her baby along with her daughter “LunitaPink” feeding on a guava tree, a delicious fruit.

Once we came upon this tapir family, we immediately felt lucky and alive. We immediately began to wonder about tapirs, including how long they live, how long their pregnancies last, and how they keep track of them.

After this weekend we feel grateful, inspired and eager to continue learning more about Costa Rica and its treasures!