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The rare blue octopus that surprised scientists has returned to the Galápagos Islands. The specimen, about the size of a golf ball, will be preserved at the Charles Darwin Research Station, which houses an extensive collection representing the archipelago’s extraordinary biodiversity. An expedition collected the first specimen of this species, distinguished by its small tentacles, in 2015 at a depth of more than 1,700 meters (5,600 feet) in the northern part of the Ecuadorian archipelago, known for its endemic flora and fauna. Only three specimens have been observed to date, but the other two were recorded only on video. The octopus, which was already dead, was taken in 2022 to the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, United States. There, it was given the scientific name Microeledone galapagensis , classified and introduced to the world. On Monday, it returned to the Galápagos, although its tentacles had lost their intense blue color, its body had turned opaque and its...

If you have been waiting for the right weekend to see humpback whales in Costa Rica, this is it. The 16th Whale and Dolphin Festival takes place this weekend, September 4, 5 and 6 in Costa Ballena in the South Pacific, timed to the peak of the season when humpbacks fill the warm water off Uvita. The whales are the reason the festival exists. Adults reach nearly 16 meters (52 feet) and weigh up to 36 metric tons (about 40 short tons), and they arrive here after one of the longest migrations any mammal makes. Whales reaching Costa Rican waters can cover between 5,000 and 8,000 kilometers (3,100 to 5,000 miles) from cold-water feeding grounds, some as far south as the waters near the Antarctic Peninsula. They come to breed, give birth, and raise their calves where the water is warm and sheltered. Mothers spend these weeks teaching their young to feed, socialize, and move through open ocean. Bahía Ballena, next to Marino Ballena National Park , is one of the best-documented breedi...

Perez Zeledon is home to a team in the first division of Costa Rica soccer. Known as Los Guerreros del Sur, the club has been in existence since 1991. As one of the smaller market teams, they are at a general disadvantage compared to the major teams such as Saprissa (San Jose), La Liga (Alajuela), and Heredia. Salaries are much lower, and when a talented player emerges, he will be made a better financial offer by one of the major clubs and depart for the Greater San Jose area. Los Guerreros play their home games at their stadium in downtown San Isidro del General. It is a cozy facility that seats around 6,000 people. To this day, there is no scoreboard to show time elapsed or even the score of the game. The PA announcer gives the score at the end of each half. As regulation time neared the end of each half, a man on the sidelines held up a digital clock showing the minutes of extra time left to be played. Back in the 1990s, I was a socio (partner) in the club. For 1,500 colone...

The United States asked its international partners to immediately end normal dealings with Nicaragua’s government, hours after the Ortega-Murillo administration formalized a constitutional rewrite that bars opposition figures from running for office and extends the terms of nearly every elected and appointed post in the country. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a State Department statement that Nicaragua’s National Assembly had eroded what remained of the country’s democratic framework by amending the constitution to entrench what he called an illegitimate dynasty. “Dictatorships that deny the unalienable rights of their citizens should not enjoy the same economic or political benefits as governments committed to defending hemispheric peace and security,” Rubio said, adding that Washington urges international partners to stop business-as-usual operations with the government in Managua. Rubio said the United States will bring specific measures...

The U.S. dollar has slipped below ₡450 again in Costa Rica, continuing a trend that has steadily reduced the spending power of foreign residents who earn their income in dollars and increased pressure on the tourism industry. The dollar closed yesterday at an average of ₡449.24 in Costa Rica’s Monex foreign exchange market, down from ₡450.03 in the previous session. It remains close to the record lows reached in August , including ₡448.96 on August 14. For those North American and Canadian retirees, remote workers and other foreign residents receiving income in U.S. dollars, the impact is that the same number of dollars now buys noticeably fewer colones. At the beginning of 2026, the Monex dollar rate stood at about ₡497. By Tuesday it had fallen to ₡449.24, a decline of nearly 10% in eight months. As an example, take someone living in Costa Rica on a $3,000 monthly pension or other dollar-based income. Using the Monex rate simply as a benchmark, $3,000 was worth about ₡1.49 milli...

A court in Limón ordered the release of the wife of extradited trafficking suspect Edwin López Vega today, rejecting a prosecution request to hold her for a year in preventive detention and imposing lesser restrictions instead. Prosecutors have appealed the ruling and the woman, identified by the surnames Smith de la O, is under investigation on suspicion of money laundering and unlawful association. She has not been tried, and the accusations against her remain allegations to be established in court. The Deputy Prosecutor’s Office against Money Laundering and Asset Forfeiture had asked the Limón penal court for a year of preventive detention. The court declined and set lesser conditions. Under the terms imposed, she must sign in every 15 days, surrender her passport and is not allowed to leave the country. Her defense lawyer, Andy Jack Sánchez, confirmed the conditions after being notified of the resolution this morning. The Public Prosecutor’s Office said it had a...