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Costa Rica Researchers Study Rare Meat-Eating Vulture Bees

In the forests of Sarapiquí, Costa Rica, some bees are drawn to something far different from flowers. They visit decaying animal remains, feed on carrion, and in some cases cut small pieces of meat to carry back to their colonies. Known as necrophagous bees, or vulture bees, these insects are changing how researchers understand bee behavior in tropical ecosystems. A recent study in northern Costa Rica documented at least 13 species of stingless bees that use decaying animal tissue as part of their diet. The research is part of the project Vulture Bees in Costa Rica: Detection, Ecology, and Behavior, led by Carolina Esquivel Dobles of the School of Biological Sciences at the National University, with Laura L. Figueroa Amaya of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The study was carried out in the San Juan–La Selva Biological Corridor, one of Costa Rica’s most important biological corridors. Researchers worked across 20 sites, including primary forest, secondary forest, and a...
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Birdwatching Becomes Major Growth Area for Costa Rica Tourism

Birdwatching is becoming one of Costa Rica’s most valuable tourism niches, as travelers seek trips built around wildlife, local guides and rural destinations rather than the country’s traditional beach-and-volcano circuit. Known in the tourism field as avitourism, the activity centers on travelers who visit reserves, farms, forests, wetlands and highland areas to see and photograph birds in their natural habitat. For Costa Rica, that is a natural fit. Costa Rica has more than 900 known bird species in a small area with Caribbean lowlands, Pacific dry forest, cloud forest, mangroves, wetlands and highland oak forests all within reachable distance. That concentration has helped Costa Rica build a reputation as one of the leading international birdwatching destinations. For serious birders, it offers rare targets such as the resplendent quetzal, scarlet macaws, toucans , manakins, hummingbirds and regional endemics. For casual travelers, the activity can be as simple as a guided...
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Costa Rica’s New Lake Arenal Tourism Law Draws Conflict-of-Interest Questions

A governing-party lawmaker promoted and voted for a new law legalizing tourism and commercial activity around Lake Arenal without disclosing that her family owns a lakeshore lodge that stands to benefit from it. Cindy Murillo Artavia, a deputy for President Laura Fernández’s Pueblo Soberano party, spoke in favor of bill 22981 and voted for it in two floor debates, the first on May 28. The measure, which is now enacted, authorizes low-impact productive and tourism activity in and around the Lake Arenal reservoir, a zone that until now sat in legal limbo because much of it falls inside a protected area. For the roughly 700 families who have built hotels, restaurants and tour operations along the lake over the years, the law is meant to end that uncertainty and give their businesses a clear legal footing. It was pushed by the Executive Branch, backed by business and tourism chambers, and supported by the municipalities of Tilarán and San Carlos. President Fernández placed it...
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Where to See Sloths in Costa Rica With Kids

Where to Take Your Child to See a Sloth in the Wild in Costa Rica Few wildlife encounters leave a child more astonished than seeing a sloth in its natural habitat. Costa Rica is one of the best places on earth to make that happen, and the good news is that you do not need to venture deep into remote jungle to find one. Several destinations around the country offer reliable sightings, but some stand out far above the rest. Manuel Antonio National Park: The Surest Bet For families who want a guaranteed encounter, Manuel Antonio on the Central Pacific coast is the single most reliable option in the country. The park’s relatively compact trail system, well kept and easy to navigate, means guides know exactly which cecropia trees the resident sloths favor on any given week. The density of wildlife per square kilometer here is extraordinary, and the national park beach waiting at the end of the trail makes it a perfect full family day out. Go early. Gates open at 7am and ...
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Costa Rica Search Continues for Missing California Hiker

A California family is holding onto hope as the search continues in Costa Rica for 30-year-old Ashley Nicole Phillips, who disappeared earlier this month while in the Pérez Zeledón area. Phillips, from the Santa Clarita area, was reported missing to Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Agency on June 7. Authorities say she was last seen on June 3 in San Salvador de Barú, a rural mountain community in Pérez Zeledón, in the country’s southern zone. Her family has said she went missing during a hike after severe weather brought flooding and mudslides to the area. Search teams and local volunteers have continued looking for signs of her, but as of Monday, there has been no public confirmation that she has been found. Costa Rican authorities have not confirmed exactly what happened to Phillips. Local reports have cited unverified accounts that she may have been swept away by a flash flood, known in Costa Rica as a cabeza de agua, but investigators have not confirmed that version. ...
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Panama World Cup Travel Brings Busier Days to Airport

Tocumen International Airport is preparing for one of its busiest travel stretches of the year as the 2026 World Cup sends a wave of Panama fans, connecting passengers and international visitors through the country’s main air hub. Airport officials expect more than 544,000 additional passengers in connection with the tournament travel period, with the heaviest outbound movement projected for June 14, 15 and 16. For travelers using Panama City as a connection point, or flying in and out of Tocumen this week, that means busier terminals, fuller flights and the possibility of longer lines at check-in, migration, baggage and security. The spike is tied to Panama’s return to the World Cup and the country’s group-stage matches in Toronto and the New York area. Panama opens against Ghana in Toronto on June 17, faces Croatia in Toronto on June 23 and closes the group stage against England at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on June 27. Tocumen said it has activated a special coordina...
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Beach Access Dispute Grows After Costa Police Remove Vehicle Plates

Traffic Police removed license plates from several vehicles parked along the access road to Playa Blanca in Punta Leona on Saturday, adding a new flashpoint to one of Costa Rica’s most closely watched beach access disputes . Videos circulating on social media showed officers removing plates from vehicles parked near the route that leads to the popular white-sand beach in Garabito. Municipal staff confirmed the operation, while local reporting said the cars were affecting traffic flow on the road. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Trivisión CR (@trivisioncr) The incident comes just days after the Municipality of Garabito removed the access barriers at Punta Leona and reopened the route to Playa Blanca. The municipal government argues that the road is public and should remain open for free transit. Punta Leona Beach Club & Nature Resort maintains that the road and access structures are part of private property and that the matter should ...
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