Palo Verde Wetland

"Palo Verde is one of the last three remnants of tropical dry forests in Mesoamerica. The more than 19,000 hectares that makeup it enclose more than 13 different habitats, including mangroves, evergreen and deciduous forests, grasslands and fresh and saltwater swamps, limestone rock forest, and secondary forest. Its trails allow visitors to explore and ascend limestone formations that were once at the bottom of the sea and today are home to dozens of species of bats, mammals such as wild pigs, and typical trees of the dry tropical forest that have managed to grow and survive among the cracks in the rocks." Palo Verde is known for its large concentration of aquatic birds and as a major stopping place for over 60 species of migratory birds. Prior to the 1970s, the region was originally used for cattle ranching, with over 10,000 livestock grazing the area. In 1977, Palo Verde was named a wildlife refuge by the Costa Rican government, and since 1991 has been protected by the Ramsar Convention.