A strong earthquake struck near Quepos late last night, sending tremors across parts of our country and even into our neighbor Panama. The quake, measured at magnitude 5.9 by the United States Geological Survey, hit at 9:57 p.m. local time, with its epicenter located 7 kilometers offshore from Quepos, a town about 150 kilometers southwest …
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Scientists have identified a new salamander species in the remote páramo of Chirripó National Park, highlighting our country’s rich biodiversity and the pressing challenges facing high-altitude ecosystems. Named Bolitoglossa chirripoensis, this medium-sized amphibian stands out with its dark body marked by golden spots on the back and white flecks along its sides and tail. Researchers …
Read more “Scientists Identify New Salamander in Costa Rica’s Highest Peak Ecosystem”
The United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica have teamed up to bid for hosting the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup. This marks the first time the tournament will feature 48 teams, expanding from the current 32. U.S. Soccer Federation President Cindy Parlow Cone led the announcement in New York on October 20. She stated, …
Read more “Costa Rica Joins US-Led Bid for 2031 Women’s Soccer World Cup”
Rescuers in Venezuela recently saved a sloth trapped on electrical lines, a scene that played out on social media and drew attention to a wider problem plaguing wildlife in the region. The animal, clinging to high-voltage wires in an urban area, faced certain death from electrocution. Teams from the Chuwie Rescue Center in Miranda State …
Read more “Venezuela Sloth Rescue Exposes Wildlife Electrocution Crisis”
A push to keep Costa Rica’s beaches open to everyone took a step forward last week when a legislative committee approved a bill requiring at least three public entry points for each coastal area. The measure, now headed to the full Assembly for debate, targets barriers that have quietly restricted access despite beaches being public …
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The Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) dismantled a gang dedicated to human trafficking for the sexual exploitation of minors after carrying out 19 simultaneous raids in different parts of the country, mainly in Heredia and Guanacaste. According to OIJ Director General Randall Zúñiga, the main targets of the operation were located in Playas del Coco and …
Read more “Costa Rica OIJ Arrests Human Trafficking Ring Exploiting Minors”
Contractors began repairs on the runway at Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport this week, focusing on sections that did not meet required standards after a major overhaul earlier this year. The work, set to last 15 days, runs only at night to keep flights moving without delays. The General Directorate of Civil Aviation confirmed the …
Read more “Costa Rica’s Liberia Airport Fixes Runway Issues Overnight”
Five years ago, I began my journey using camera traps in wildlife monitoring projects in Costa Rica. A few years after that I began submitting wildlife articles to The Tico Times. I rely on my camera traps successfully recording Costa Rica’s abundant biodiversity as fuel for writing my articles. A few nicely framed videos of …
Read more “What Camera Traps Miss Chasing jaguars in Costa Rica”
Those who live along the Caribbean coast know all too well how quickly weather can turn in October. Right now, the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN) tracks a tropical wave in the central Caribbean Sea that holds a 70 percent shot at becoming a tropical storm by week’s end. If it does, it earns the name …
Read more “Costa Rica Monitors Caribbean Tropical Wave with 70% Storm Chance”
Bolivians on Sunday elected a pro-business center-right senator as their new president, ending two decades of socialist rule that have left the South American nation deep in economic crisis. With 97 percent of ballots counted, Rodrigo Paz had 54.5 percent of the vote compared to 45.4 percent for his rival, right-wing former interim president Jorge …