Why Iguanas Are Falling From Trees in South Florida

Residents of South Florida are seeing something unusual this week: iguanas dropping from trees during an intense cold snap. Videos and photos have spread quickly on social media, often jokingly described as “raining iguanas.” The explanation, though, is straightforward biology mixed with uncommon weather. South Florida is going through one of its coldest stretches in …

Puma Sits for the Camera on a Pacific Cliff in Rare Costa Rica Footage

After two hundred or so articles mostly focused on wildlife for the Tico Times, I’ve written about most of the more well-known species that are walking, swimming, and flying around in Costa Rica. Every time I pick a species to write about, I get to go through my video archives and pick out the very …

Costa Rica Upholds Inmate Voting Tradition in Crime-Focused 2026 Presidential Race

Thousands of inmates across Costa Rica cast their ballots on Sunday, February 1, during the presidential and legislative elections, as authorities set up polling stations inside prisons to uphold their right to vote. This setup, in place since the late 1990s, highlights the country’s emphasis on broad suffrage, even amid a campaign dominated by debates …

Costa Rica election 2026 hinges on security, prisons, and Chaves legacy

Costa Ricans elect a president this Sunday, with ruling-party candidate Laura Fernández the clear favorite, buoyed by promises of a tough crackdown on crime that her rivals say would push the country toward authoritarianism. About 3.7 million citizens are being called to the polls to choose a president and lawmakers for four years in a …

Crowds Rush to TSE for Voter IDs Before Costa Rica’s 2026 Elections

Citizens formed long queues at the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) offices across our country in the days leading up to the national elections. People waited to collect or renew their cédulas de identidad, the required document for voting. At the central office in San José, lines stretched hundreds of meters, with some waits exceeding two …