COTERC Blog

Muimui's Travel Journal | COTERC Adventure

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:24:00 +0000

I stumbled across this blog entry of a recient COTERC Volunteer where they detail there adventures at the Cano Palma Biological research station, and the work they did to help our Marine Turtle programs.

Muimui's Travel Journal - Hello, Marine Turtles!

Here is a short Excerpt from Muimui's article:

Josh, the station manager, welcomed me at the dock. The first thing I said according to him was: this place is quite remote indeed! LOL. I did not know ahead of time what exactly I would be doing at the station for the “conservation work”, but unlike my other volunteering experience in Guatemala, I will soon find out that the station is very well organized and my time there will be spent doing meaningful work. Josh took me for a tour of the station, which consists of various buildings including a dorm where I sleep in bunkbeds in large rooms, a kitchen with dining area, a small library/conference building, a hut for showers/laundry on the other side, some other living quarters for staffs, and toilets.

Read the full post here.

To accompany this post Muimui shares a number of Photo's from this trip, these are defiantly worth a look.

Thanks for taking the time to write about COTERC and your Adventures while staying with us!

Photo Credit: Muimui's Travel Journal

COTERC Signs RainforestSOS Declaration

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:45:00 +0000

I'm happy to announce our support for the RainforestSOS project is now official. The RainforestSOS founded by His Royal Highness Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, in response to reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the immediate need to take actions that will save the planets rainforests.

The RainforestSOS project is targeting two main goals; Raising awareness about the effects of Rainforest Deforestation and Identifying incentives to stop deforestation, by targeting the economic reasons and identifying other sources of income that will benefit the needs of rainforest nations. Here at COTERC we found this to be a natural fit would our objectives.

By signing this declaration COTERC joins a number of esteemed organizations (shown right) working toward the conservation and protection of the planets Rainforests. We also reaffirm our goals and project mandates on Education and Conservation of an irreplaceable resource that is declining at an accelerated rate as demand and populations continue to grow.

About the RainforestSOS Project:
The Prince’s Rainforests Project (PRP) was set up in 2007 by HRH The Prince of Wales following reports from leading climate change experts, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, to promote awareness of the urgent need to take action against tropical deforestation. The Prince of Wales has long been concerned about climate change and about how destruction of the world’s rainforests contributes to rising temperatures and sea levels.

12 New Animal Research FAQ sheets

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Tue, 12 May 2009 18:47:00 +0000

Today we added 12 new FAQ sheets to our Educational Resources.

These include:

Black Tern
Great Kiskadee
Jaguarundi
Mouse Opposum
Northern Jacana
Northern Shoveler
Northern Tamandua
Smoky Jungle Frog
Spectacled Caiman (shown in picture)
Swainsons Thrush
Tink Frog
Yellow Breasted Chat

These additions now bring us to over 50 FAQ sheets on Animals studied at the Caño Palma Biological Station. We are still working on many more, so stay tuned by subscribing to our twitter and RSS feeds.

2008 Fiesta Verde Donors list

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Sun, 10 May 2009 17:56:00 +0000

Big Thanks to all the Donors that helped make Fiesta Verde: Project Frog a huge Success in 2008.

Amanda Bittar -Artist
Barry MacKay -Wildlife Artist
Bird Kingdom
Birds & Beans
Black Creek Pioneer Village
Bowmanville Zoo
Burbs Bistro & Bar
Cacts Hotel (Costa Rica)
Campanario (Costa Rica)
CampbellCraft Consulting
Canadian Geographic
Casa Loma
CN Tower
David Suzuki
Deloitte & Touche Foundation Canada
EDUFUN
Fantasy Fair
Figment Films
Foxmead Quilts
Jewelry by Marilyn
Joseph's Estate Wines
Jungle Cat World Wildlife Park
Kohler
London Regional Children's Museum
Lori Dunn -Artist
McMichael Canadaian Art Collection
National Ballet of Canada
Nature's Scene
Niagara Falls Aviary Inc
Niagara Reptiles
Oh Canada Eh? Dinner Show
Ontario Place
Ontario Science Centre
Port Credit Pets
Rainforest Publications
Reptilia
Ripley's Believe it or Not! Museum
Rockport Boat Line
Rugby Ontario
Safari Bar & Grill
Safari Zoo Camp
Scenic Caves
Shoppers Drug Mart - Steeple Hill (Pickering)
State of Mind
Steam Whistle Brewery
Steinhaus Studio
Stoney Ridge Estate Winery
Strait's Aqualife
Textile Museum of Canada
The Briars
The Toronto Raptors Basketball Club
Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club
Tourmaline Editions Inc.
Turtle Beach Lodge
Valerie Kent Art Studio
Violet Bloom's Fresh Flowers Inc
Wild Water Kingdom
Wind Dancer Boat Charters
Windy Ridge Creative Studio

Join COTERC in the Galapagos Islands

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Fri, 08 May 2009 18:07:00 +0000

(click for larger image)

Join us on a wonderful adventure to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands.

November 5th to 20th, 2009

This includes a 7 day cruise of the islands on the Daphne.

Cost for land and cruise US$ 3,675.

Airfare from Toronto to Quito via Air Canada and Avianca is CA$ 1,135.

For a detailed itinerary please contact Annette Simms at 416-654-4844.

Membership to COTERC* included in cost.

*Canadian Organization for Tropical Education and Rainforest Conservation

Tom Mason, Chair
Annette Simms, Volunteer and Member

Spring Euchre Tournament - May 30, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Thu, 07 May 2009 17:52:00 +0000

We hope to see you there!

Education Manual - Resource Material For Teachers

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Wed, 06 May 2009 21:13:00 +0000

Tropical forests are beautiful, diverse and provide many global environmental services such as the sequestration of carbon dioxide, habitat for organisms, climate regulation and soil conservation. These fragile ecosystems are facing unprecedented stresses arising from habitat destruction, climate change, pollution and many other variables. The Canadian Organization for Tropical Education and Rainforest Conservation (COTERC) is devoted to the protection and conservation of tropical forests through research and educational initiatives. The aim of COTERC is to stimulate interest and to promote the conservation of tropical forests through the educational activities presented in this resource manual.

All lesson plans, activities and demonstrations presented in this educational manual are designed to facilitate understanding of the complex issues facing tropical ecosystems. All activities were prepared in accordance with the current Ontario Curriculum Expectations. Where applicable, evaluation rubrics and student handout sheets are included with the lesson or activity plan. These may be photocopied or placed on overhead transparencies to reduce the amount of paper consumed during your lesson delivery. Some lesson plans may be modified for multiple courses by reviewing the current Ontario Curriculum Expectations or through the use of the Curriculum Cross-Reference Tool (please note that in some cases specific curriculum expectations have not been listed with cross-referenced lesson plans). Enjoy implementing the activities.

Head to our download form available in our Education resources.

Volunteer Profile: Rinsai ‘Sha’ Rossetti

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Tue, 05 May 2009 19:06:00 +0000

My name is Rinsai ‘Sha’ Rossetti. I am a Thai-Italian-Canadian who has been living in the United Arab Emirates for the past nine years. At the moment I am studying in Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, in the US. I have always thought that summer is the time when I can do what I feel is really worthwhile, since during summer I am not constrained by studying or work or any of the things that are a part of my everyday life. Last summer, for example, I walked a pilgrimage through Spain. This summer seems like it will be even more exciting: I will be an intern at COTERC, helping with the Large Mammal and Primate Monitoring Program, walking the transects, and also volunteering with other, ongoing projects at the station.

It will be my first time at the Cano Palma Biological Station, so I expect I have a lot to learn. I know it will be hard work; I hope it will be an adventure, and most of all I hope I will be able to make a difference, if only in some small way. Because I have never done this before, I am not one hundred percent certain what to expect, and I probably won’t know for sure until I am actually there. Writing my research proposal has definitely helped to make me feel more prepared, but I think that an internship at COTERC is one of those things that you have to experience for yourself before you can imagine what it is like. I am definitely a little nervous, but mainly excited. As a freshman student, I am delighted that such an incredible opportunity is available to me. I think it will be a much more valuable experience than a lot of the other internships out there, because COTERC gives you the chance to really achieve something and work on your own. There are real problems that have to be solved, and real jobs that have to be done. I can’t wait to get there and make myself useful.

I stumbled across COTERC simply because I searched online and liked what I found. I didn’t have a tip from a friend or anything like that. I am just someone who wanted to help out, and who was immediately given an opportunity. I think this goes to show that COTERC really is open to anyone who has the potential and the initiative. You don’t have to be from a particular background in order to be given consideration. I would encourage other students not to feel intimidated, even if they don’t know anyone at the station, and to take a chance volunteering. Personally, I can’t think of a better way to spend my summer.

Want to be a volunteer? Review our volunteer package for more information.

Help Wanted: Biological Station Manager (Costa Rica)

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 14:15:00 +0000

The Canadian Organization for Tropical Education and Rainforest Conservation (COTERC) seeks a full-time Manager* to administer and operate the Caño Palma Biological Station. Our mission is to provide leadership in education, research, conservation, and the educated use of natural resources in the tropics.The Biological Station is located next to the Caribbean Ocean within the Barra Colorado Wildlife Refuge and north of the Tortuguero National Park; a region renowned for its sea turtles and rainforest. The position is full time with a commitment of at least one year.

Preference will be given to candidates with enthusiasm, an excellent work ethic and experience in construction, grounds maintenance, small engine repair and boating experience. A record of excellence in dealing with volunteers, student groups, researchers, difficult work situations and conflict resolution are crucial. Candidates should have at least a basic level in speaking/writing Spanish. A BSc. or college Diploma in biology or ecology with experience working in tropical ecosystems, conservation, research/monitoring and sustainable development is preferred.

Caño Palma Biological Station has become busy, hosting up to 20 Global Vision International expedition groups, plus student interns and volunteers all working on various monitoring and community conservation programs. The successful candidate is foremost expected to conduct daily Station maintenance, repair and improve the Station’s infrastructure and trail network, ensure the overall quality of experience of users groups and visitors and ensure compliance with Health and Safety standards. Collaboration and development of wildlife monitoring programs will be an important secondary activity and will include marine sea turtles, migratory and resident birds, primates and other mammals and herpetological studies. Special attention is to be given to issues of education, community conservation, sustainability and working with a local village. The Manager reports directly to COTERC, and completes assigned tasks as requested by the Board.

For complete job description information, contact info@coterc.org.

To apply, send a letter of application along with a CV and three references to:
(Electronic submission preferred)

Canadian Organization for Tropical Education and Rainforest Conservation
P.O. Box 335, Pickering, ON
L1V 2R6
Canada
Phone:(905) 831-8809
Fax: (905) 831-4203
email: info at coterc.org

More information is available through our website: (http://www.coterc.org/).
Review of applications will begin immediately with a start date to be negotiated.
* Salary is equivalent to typical Costa Rican wage rates.

Annual General Meeting - May 9th

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:10:00 +0000

The Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Organization for Tropical Education and Rainforest Conservation (COTERC) will take place on:

When: Saturday, May 9, 2009, 5:00pm
Where: The Toronto Zoo- the Atrium
Address: 361A Old Finch Ave., Scarborough, M1B 5K7 [Map]
RSVP: (905)831-8809 or (416)910-4882; info at coterc.org
Event Poster: Agenda --- Notice/Proxy Vote (Adobe Reader is required)

We do hope that you will be able to join us, but if you are unable to do so, and you are a member in good standing, please fill out the proxy (found here - pdf) and mail or fax to the office.

Report From The Field: Neotropical Bird And Nesting Program

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 15:46:00 +0000

In partnership with Dr. Steven Furino, University of Waterloo, COTERC continues to work on the Neotropical resident bird monitoring program. This program was established in and has been gathering important baseline data to aid in conservation management decisions. One particular individual has become show particular interest and has been building her research skills with this project. This individual is Charlotte Foale.

Charlotte originally came to know Caño Palma Research Station as a volunteer with Global Vision International in 2008. She stayed on as an intern and became very involved in the program with a building interest in helping to fill in the holes in nesting data. She has strong interests in furthering conservation efforts by partnering with other agencies to help develop education and awareness programs for guides, tour operators, local hotel staff, and local peoples. What follows is a report from Charlotte on her challenges and achievements in the program.

Recent field report from the field by researcher, Charlotte Foale, January 2009.

The nest-search project is now a year old. We are hopefully wiser, definitely greyer, and absolutely ready for 2009. In 2008, we documented over 500 nests, despite over a month taken at during the busiest nesting period to help some over-whelmed bird-banders. In the first week of January 2009, we have documented 42 nests – hopefully a sign of a busy year ahead. I essentially have 9 months to collect, from January to September, with the peak occurring March-May. With the breeding season unknown for 30 local species, I do continue surveys through December, but strategies change, and weather dictates a slower pace. Aside from the shear beauty of the environment I get to work in, the gaps in nesting information for resident species are a great motivation to hit the trail and canals.

There are 49 species in the local area with information gaps on breeding behaviour. This ranges from the very specific, such as egg descriptions, to species with absolutely no nest record. Among the data collected in 2008, we have previously undocumented incubation and fledging information on the white-collared Manakin, as well as a nest reported to be of the Green Ibis – of which there is no previous record. With an increased knowledge of both of the birds and the area, these are two of the species I will be targeting in 209. I believe we have a good chance of obtaining some solid data for publication, chipping away at the knowledge deficit, raising the awareness, and conservation value of both the species, and the area, and keeping me outside doing what I love!

Pictured here is Charlotte Foale (left), who is partnered with Dr. Furino and COTERC in the resident bird monitoring program, and Greg Mayne, Director of Site Services, discussing the bird nesting program, in San Francisco, Costa Rica, Jan 2009.

Volunteer Profile: Roleen Robinson

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 15:34:00 +0000

Hi I am Roleen Robinson,
I am a Durham College student completing my work placement with COTERC. I chose such a wonderful organization to gain work experience because I admire the dedication and enriching research and conservation that COTERC’s members contribute both in Canada and Costa Rica.

My placement thus far has consisted of working at the Pickering office with June Enright, scanning Raphia newsletters and recently, I have been introduced to the expanding Large Mammal Research project currently being implemented by Dr. Kym Snarr and the team at the Cano Palma Biological station. My involvement with this project includes organizing and updating several checklists of the numerous mammals that have been spotted and recorded at the station. It is truly incredible to see how many different species of animals have been located and observed at the station, including over 20 different types of bats. Important data and research like this makes my involvement very interesting and rewarding and is a great way to contribute to conserving our natural resources and ecosystems in a local way as well as globally.

I look forward to continuing my work placement with COTERC and to uncovering the different aspects and careers available within the environmental conservation and research fields. I am proud to be volunteering and assisting COTERC with their growth and strongly encourage everyone to help out in any way possible because every positive action counts!

Past and Present Research

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 15:40:00 +0000

Dr. Kymberley A Snarr, Director of Conservation and Research.

Cano Palma Biological Station has been in existence since 1991, bringing a plethora of conservation initiatives and research which has been carried out at the station. Currently, there are a number of research programs which continue year round and seasonally. These can be located in the resources section of the COTERC website. There has been a wide range of academic partners with the station and a number of publications coming from this research. Below, I have listed some of the various publications coming from this exciting research over the years.

Dechmann, Safi, and Vonhof (Oct 2006) Matching morphology and diet in the disc-winged bat Thyroptera tricolour (Chiroptera.) Journal of Mammalogy. 87(5):1013-1019
Vonhof and Fenton (2004) Roost availability and population size of Thyroptera tricolour, a leaf-roosting bat, in north-eastern Costa Rica. Journal of Tropical Ecology. 20:291-305.
Vonhof, Whitehead, and Fenton (2004) Analysis of Spix's disc-winged bat association patterns and roosting home ranges reveal a novel social structure among bats. Animal Behaviour 68:507-521.
Pape, Dechmann, and Vonhof (2002) A new species of Sarcofahrtiopsis Hall(Diptera: Sarcophagidea) living in roosts of Spix's disk-winged bat Thryoptera tricolour Spix (Chiroptera) in Costa Rica. Journal of Natural History. 36:991-998
Riskin and Fenton (2001) Sticking ability in Spix’s disk-winged bat, Thyroptera tricolor (Microchiroptera: Thyropteridae) Canadian Journal of Zoology. 79:2261-21267
Vonhof (2001) Habitat availability, population size, and the composition, stability, and genetic structure of social groups of Spix’s disk-winged bat, Thyroptera tricolor. PhD dissertation. York University, Toronto. Dr. B Fenton, Supervisor.
Fenton, Rydell, Vonhof, Eklof, and Lancaster (1999) Constant-frequency and frequency-modulated components in echolocation calls of three species of small bats (Emballonuridae, Thyropteridae, and Vespertilionidae). Canadian Journal of Zoology. 77(12):1891-1999

In the future, these and other peer-reviewed articles will be listed and available on our website in the reports section so that you can read the full details in the reports area.

Recent research publications include work carried out on a common vine species which has particular medicinal properties related to stress reduction. Dr. Tony Durst from the University of Ottawa and his colleague, Dr. John Arnason also from the University of Ottawa have been working with one of our former station manager’s Mario Garcia, who holds a vast knowledge on ethnobotany, to obtain the needed amounts of sustainably harvested material for testing. Over the past four years, research in the area of the station and the surrounding canals has been aimed at collecting the appropriate material in a sustainable manner with a number of clinical trials on the medicinal aspects of various species of the Souroubea vine. The medicinal action of a particular family of compounds has been shown to reduce stress in various animal species. Currently, the researchers are attempting to locate a biopharmaceutical partner to carry out clinical trials and to see if the product is found to be commercially viable. There may be a good match for community conservation efforts who may be able to grow the relatively common vine in a cooperative manner, creating a win-win situation for local sustainable initiatives. A variety of publications have come from this important and timely researching can be found at the researchers websites, most recently, this one has been published and the abstract is included here.

Mullally, Martha; Kramp, Kari; Saleem, Ammar; Rojas, Marco Otorola; Vindas, Pablo Sanchez; Garcia, Mario; Alvarez, Luis Poveda; Durst, Tony; Trudeau, Vance L.; Arnason, John T. Characterization and quantification of triterpenes in the neotropical medicinal plant Souroubea sympetala (Marcgraviaceae) by HPLC-APCI-MS. Natural Product Communications (2008), 3(11), 1885-1888.

Abstract: A rapid, two-solvent, HPLC-APCI-MS method was developed to identify and quantify four pentacyclic triterpenes (betulinic acid, ursolic acid, alpha-amyrin and beta-amyrin) in extracts of the neotropical medicinal plant Souroubea sympetala. Analysis of plant organs, wood, bark, leaves, immature fruit and flowers, indicated that the phytochemical distribution and quantity of triterpenes varies across the plant, with betulinic acid and ursolic acid the major constituents in the bark, wood, fruit and flowers and
the amyrins the major constituents of the leaves.

Mario Garcia has also supplied COTERC with an up-to-date version of plants and their scientific names found at the station. He continues to work in partnership with the National Biodiversity Institute and is currently working on publishing a book which deals with the ethobotany from the area. We have also recently added to the research/reports area the station’s founder, Marilyn Cole’s Masters in Environmental Studies thesis, The Founding of Canadian Organization for Tropical Education and Rainforest Conservation (COTERC), Faculty of Environment, York University.

Further updates on important research carried out at Cano Palma Biological Station will be included in future RAPHIA newsletters, and look for update on COTERC.org

I would like to generously thank Jonathan Willans, our station manager to bringing to my attention that there were published reports located on our base camp, and for making some initial contacts with researchers, including Mario Garcia.

The Bats of Caño Palma

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:56:00 +0000

CHECKLIST TO THE BATS OF CAÑO PALMA
BIOLOGICAL STATION AND SURROUNDING AREA
Updated on March, 2009

Bats play an important role because they disperse seeds and many plants depend completely on bats as their only pollinators. There are approximately 109 bats species that have been recorded in Costa Rica to date; approximately half of the country’s 216 mammal species and about 12 percent of the world’s bat species. Costa Rica has the most carefully studied bat fauna of any Central American country and a few species have been studied extensively. Yet, we know relatively little of the basic biology of most bat species due to the difficulty in entailed in field studies. For this reason, specific conservation plans cannot be developed at this time for most species despite the endangered status of certain species.

Caño Palma Biological Station and surrounding area offers ample opportunity to study an astonishing diversity of bats, which vary in size, appearance, diet and roost sites. The Bulldog Bat (Noctilio leporinus) fishes with a radar system that detects ripples in the water that are produced by fish; having located its prey, the bat plunges down and grabs the fish with its claws. The Greater Sac-winged Bat (Saccopteryx bilineata) is one of the most commonly seen in the rainforest as they often roost on the outside of large trees. Long-nosed bats (Rhynconycteris naso) roosting on the underside of the dock lookout provide easy viewing. A practiced eye can discern evidence of several tent-making bat species alongside the station’s trail system. Honduran white bats (Ectophylla alba) fold Heleconia leaves into tents by biting through side veins until the leaf collapses. Neotropical fruit-eating bats of the genus Artebius modify Palm and Arum leaves by a similar method; often housing one male and a harem of several females. The common tent-making bat (Uroderma bilobatum) cuts through the midrib of banana (Musa sp.) and other plant leaves to form tents. The vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) can be found in caves at the base of the Cerro just south of the station.

This Field Checklist provides bat enthusiasts with a summary of 30 species identified to date in the Caño Palma area. Many more are likely to be found but further study is required. This information is largely based on the work of the Dr. Loren K. Ammerman, of Texas Wesleyan University, Fort Worth, Texas and records from Station Managers. Additional records have been provided by visitors. We encourage researchers to visit Caño Palma for additional bat study and to submit records of observations with complete documentation to COTERC.

Common Name [Scientific Name]
Intermediate Fruit-eating Bat [Artibeus intermedius]
Jamaican Fruit-eating Bat [Artibeus jamaicensis]
Large Fruit-eating Bat [Artibeus phaeotis]
Toltec Fruit-eating Bat [Artibeus toltecus]
Allen’s Short-tailed Bat [Carollia brevicauda]
Chestnut Short-tailed Bat [Carollia castanea]
Seba’s Short-tailed Bat [Carollia perspicillata]
Shaggy Bat [Centronycteris maximiliari]
Godman’s Whiskered Bat [Choeroniscus godmani]
Short-eared Bat [Cyttarops alecto]
Wagner’s Sac-winged Bat [Cormura brevirostris]
Common Vampire Bat [Desmodus rotundus]
Hairy-legged Vampire Bat [Diphylla ecaudata]
Honduran White (Tent) Bat [Ectophylla alba]
Argentine Brown Bat [Eptesicus furinalis]
Commissaris's Long-tongued Bat [Glossophaga commissarisi]
Pallas's Long-tongued Bat [Glossophaga soricina]
Underwood’s Long-tongued Bat [Hylonycteris underwoodi]
Yellow-throated Big-eared Bat [Lampronycteris brachyotis]
Orange-nectar Bat [Lonchophylla robusta]
Brazilian Big-eared Bat [Micronycteris megalotis]
Niceforo’s large-eared Bat [Micronycteris nicefori]
Schmidt’s Big-eared Bat [Micronycteris schmidtorum]
Sinoloan Mastiff Bat [Molossus sinaloae]
Black Myotis [Myotis nigricans]
Riparian Myotis [Myotis riparius]
Bulldog Bat (Fishing bat) [Noctilio sp.]
Heller’s Broad-nosed Bat [Platyrrhinus (vampyrops) helleri]
Pale-faced Bat [Phylloderma stenops]
Little Yellow Bat [Rhogeesa tumida]
Long-nosed Bat [Rhynconycteris naso]
Greater Sac-winged Bat (White-lined Bat) [Saccopteryx bilineata]
Lesser Sac-winged Bat [Saccopteryx leptura]
Disk-winged Bat [Thyroptera tricolor]
Pygmy Round-eared Bat [Tonatia brasiliensis]
D’Orbigyny’s Round-eared Bat [Tonatia silvicola]
Fringe-lipped Bat [Trachops cirrhosus]
Tent-making Bat [Uroderma bilobatum]
Striped Yellow-eared Bat [Vampyressa nymphaea]

References:

Laval, R.K. and Perez, I.J. 2002. Murcielagos de Costa Rica/ Costa Rica Bats. Heredia, Costa Rica: INBio.
Laval, R.K and Rodriguez-Herrera, B. 2002. Conserving Costa Rica's Bats: New Program Takes 110 Bat Species Under its Wing. BATS. 20 (4).
Kunz, T. 1994. The World of Tent-making Bats. BATS 12(1).

Most recent data updated by: Roleen Robinson

Boardwalk Completed at Caño Palma Biological Station

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 03:54:00 +0000

A new 200 metre boardwalk serves as an amenity to provide safe access to the tropical wet forest surrounding Caño Palma Biological Station while minimizing the ecological impact of soil compaction and disturbance. Typically, researchers and students skirt around water-filled depressions exacerbating the impact to trails winding along the canals and through the lush tropical forest. The new boardwalk sits three feet above the soil to permit passage of wildlife, elevating observers above the undergrowth and keeping feet dry.

"As improvements to the station go, this is a milestone and a dream realized for many board directors and COTERC supporters since the station opened its doors in 1991" reports Greg Mayne, current Site Services Director and former Station Manager. "It will provide visitors, students, researchers and local school children with a new venue to appreciate the serene beauty of the rainforest so important in providing habitat to one of Mesoamerica's most biological diverse regions."

We considered different types of materials, of which many are unavailable in Costa Rica. We settled on using the heartwood of naturally fallen Pentaclethra macroloba, or "Gavilan". The outer sapwood is quickly eaten by termites leaving the insect-resistant heartwood to sit on the forest floor for decades. The trees have served their ecological and structural function and this was found to be the most sustainable method to construct he boardwalk.
(Jonathan Willans, current Station Manager)

Staff and volunteers of Caño Palma Biological Station built the boardwalk with funds from the Furino family, long-time supporters of COTERC and ardent supporters of the bird monitoring programs. "Without a doubt, its direct involvement like this that every environmental non-profit organization relies on and we thank the Furino's from the bottom of our hearts." In fact, the Furinos have committed to another $2500.00 in funding provided that COTERC can match the donation. Please help us by donating (see right column for donation instructions) so that we can construct another 200 metres and provide access to the poorly understood and little-studied palm swamp forest of the Atlantic lowland rainforest.

By: Greg Mayne - Director-Site Services

Volunteer Profile: Kaitlin Secord

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 21:00:00 +0000

My Name is Kaitlin Secord, and I recently began my volunteer work, and I am already confident that my efforts are making a difference. I am currently working directly with June Enright, helping her to archive old Raphia newsletters onto coterc.org.

I hope that members choose to read some of these articles – I know I have before scanning them onto the computer – and realize how much the organization has evolved. COTERC has some amazing stories to it’s name, and has been through so much. When I first got the offer to volunteer at COTERC, I’ll admit I wasn’t even sure what the letters stood for, let alone the goal of the organization. So I did some research, on what I can say is a very well constructed website, and found that it’s a place I would be happy to work, and a cause I would be happy to help. So even sitting at a desk, scanning old newsletters, I’m learning, I’m helping, and I’m making a difference. And for that, I’m truly grateful.

Come see us at the Reptile Expo

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 17:54:00 +0000

Drop by and see us tomorrow at the Mississauga Reptile and Exotic Pet Expo.

Where can you go and see over 20,000 square feet of snakes, lizards, amphibians, insects, parrots, turtles, tortoises, arachnids, small animals, fish, corals, supplies for all and novelties for most....

Well here it is this Sunday February 22nd at the Capital Banquet Hall located at 6435 Dixie Rd in Mississauga From 9 am to 4 pm you will be marveled at the animals on display for one day. Over 125 tables of Canada's leading breeders and providers of the Exotic Small Pet Hobby will be on hand for Ontario's largest Reptile and Exotic Pet Expo.

For more information check out the website at www.reptileexpo.ca or www.reptilescanada.com.

Hope to see you there!

Please Donate Materials and Equipment

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 17:47:00 +0000

There are many needs at Caño Palma Biological Station and at our office in Canada. Right now we are in need of:

Your favorite biology and ecology technical books for the library
Binoculars and spotting scope
Night vision binoculars and scope
Good power tools - because the salt air and humidity have ruined most of what we have
18 volt cordless drill
Butterfly nets and mist nets - for capturing and identifying insects, bats and birds
Dissecting microscopes - for continual research
Small portable backpack gasoline powered generator - to use away from usual power sources
Digital movie camera - for filming wildlife
Motion sensitive cameras to monitor wildlife migrations in the forest
5 drawer lateral filing cabinet
Ink cartridges for HP #'s 27,28,56,57

If you traveling to our biological station, perhaps you could bring something with you.

Please Contact our local office by phone (905) 831-8809 or by email for more information on delivering these items.

A Guided Tour Of Costa Rica

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 20:39:00 +0000

Take a guided tour through one of the most diverse reptile and amphibian regions of Central America Travel with a recognized expert to regions in Limon Province visited by some of the most famous herpetologists in the world Come face to face with species you thought you’d only see in cages

WHEN: End of March, 2009
COST: $2,800—$3,000 all inclusive (alcohol & souvenirs excluded)
CONTACT:
COTERC OFFICE (905) 831-8809 or by email

Full itinerary available here

Winter Euchre Tournament

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:42:00 +0000

Tuesday February 7, 2009 was another fun Euchre Tournament night with a full 9 table of players! The night raised $731.00 to help COTERC in our work here and in Costa Rica. Amy Lathrop took home Highest Score Female, while Dan Anderson took High Score Male. Kevin and Annette Omura took home certificates for the most Honest Male and the Most Honest Female. The most lone hands certificate was taken home by Marc Sammons.

A special thanks to Amy Lathrop for making up new table signs and rule sheets and to Brad Hubley for bringing along a great selection of tunes for the evening. Thanks to Blue Enright for arranging to lug all the goods to the event and to Barry McKee who, although feeling poorly was also there to help. Once again Fran Mason and others were quick to lend a hand, which was greatly appreciated.

Special thanks to the Bulk Barn in Pickering at Liverpool Road for providing some cost breaks on goodies for the evening.

We hope everyone had a good time and look forward to hearing from you! Thanks to all those that attended.

- June Enright

Colibri Trail Boardwalk Project

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:59:00 +0000

COTERC is raising funds to build another 200 meters of boardwalk at the Caño Palma Biological Station in Costa Rica.

Josh from Destination Conservation is shown here working with his Son on the boardwalk.

The boardwalk along the Colibri trail provides access to the forest ecosystem while preserving delicate plant life and water quality during times of flooding. Visiting tour groups from local lodges and local residents can easily access this trail but need interpretive information to gain the most benefit from their experience.

Please help us reach our goal.

Climate Change and Costa Rican Sea Turtles

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:34:00 +0000

Sea turtles face various threats from a vast number of natural predators, however it is the impact of human activities which have threatened their survival the most. Bycatch from the industrial fishing fleets, loss of nesting habitat due to beach development and poaching for their products (i.e tortoiseshell) or direct human consumption, have threatened all sea turtle populations, pushing some to the brink of extinction. Many conservation programs, governments, scientists and concerned citizens alike have been working to help save these animals by developing stewardship programs, new technologies (i.e. Turtle Excluding Devices which prevent trawling by-catch) and protective laws.

However a new threat has arisen which could counteract these successful efforts – global warming. As reptiles, sea turtles are more susceptible to changes in their thermal surroundings since they regulate their body temperature environmentally rather than metabolically. Furthermore, sea turtles exhibit temperature-sex-determination (TSD). That is, the sex of the hatchling is determined from the temperature it experiences as a developing egg in the nest. Warmer temperatures produce females and cooler temperatures produce males with intermediary temperatures producing mixed ratios of both sexes. Incubating sea turtle eggs also have upper lethal limits - if sand temperatures become too hot, embryogenesis will not succeed. Thus, with increasing climatic temperatures beaches face either feminization – all hatchlings produced are female, or ultimately - fatality due to lethal temperatures.

Another problem from climate change that sea turtles face is rising sea level from glacial melting due to increasing temperatures. If the beach has nowhere to progress landwards, significant nesting habitat may be lost completely. This is of particular concern in the Caribbean as most beaches are at low-lying elevations and human development prevents inward progression.

As sea turtles nest on the beach they were born on, high nest productivity is the major source of recruitment for a population. In other words, little to no recruitment results from individuals migrating from other populations. Thus, loss of suitable nesting ground in addition to beach feminization, could lead to complete population failure in localized areas.

Costa Rican beaches are not exempt from these potential problems. So what can we do to help prevent these potential problems from affecting these magnificent animals in Costa Rica? COTERC, in partnership with McMaster University, will begin a three year research project starting in Feb. 2009 to address these issues. Investigations into the current sex ratios being produced and mapping potential nesting habitat loss using GIS technology will begin. This research will allow for conservation policies and strategies to be developed and implemented before the problems arise, helping us to continue to protect these magnificent animals.

I would like to acknowledge COTERC for providing logistical support and the Donner Canadian Foundation for funding this important project, and my advisor Dr. Patricia Chow-Fraser, Office of Research Services, McMaster University.

April Stevens

Originally Published in Raphia Winter 2009

SAIT and COTERC Collaboration

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 20:31:00 +0000

The Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) is Canada's premier polytechnic where education and training are enhanced through applied research, technology transfer and innovation activities. SAIT conducts applied research based on identified industry need aimed at meeting their objectives.

The Bachelor of Applied Technology Geographic Information Systems Program is collaborating with COTERC to use spatial information tools in support of conservation-focused research activities. The initial phase will see this year's group of students providing base digital maps and spatial analysis of large mammals in the Caño Palma Bio logical Station area.

The students will use information provided by COTERC and the Costa Rican Government in completing a major project." COTERC is very pleased to establish this relationship with SAIT, and we look forward to some fascinating findings from their students.

Thanks To Our Wonderful Volunteers

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 20:24:00 +0000

COTERC volunteers provided invaluable support to several fund raising events, and other initiatives, in 2009. Annette Simms proactively undertook the task of designing and writing fact sheets for animal and plant species found at, or near, the Cano Palma Research Station in Costa Rica.

Forty-four colourful and informative sheets have been produced to date and can be found on the COTERC website under the Education tab. Thanks to Annette Buchkowski who has also contributed fact sheets to the collection. Volunteer, Sara Yeomans has created an attractive pamphlet to support a new fund raising campaign called HUG (Help Us Grow). This campaign lends itself to “gift giving” for special occasions. Packages range from $35 and comes with a personalized certificate and the fact sheet of your choice- to a $250 purchase of a quarter of an acre of Costa Rican rainforest. Other opportunities include “Monitor a Monkey”, “Tag a Travelling Turtle” and “Support Research of Migratory Birds”. There is definitely something for everyone on your list. (hint – think Valentine’s Day)

On June 14 COTERC launched a new fund raiser to support conservation work in Costa Rica. The event was hosted by Reptilia in Vaughan, home to Canada’ largest crocodile, venomous snake and rattlesnake! The diversity of intriguing reptiles and amphibians produced the perfect setting for an exhibition of art featuring plants, animals and landscapes.

A big thank you to Susan Kunanec who, for over a year, has done a tremendous job of organizing and updating the membership data base. Susan has visited the research station in Costa Rica numerous times and is a big supporter of COTERC.

Over $2,000 was raised with the support and generosity of the 16 participating artists and the guests who bought admission tickets and kept on giving throughout the evening. Hats off to the small but mighty group of volunteers who helped make such a success of the evening – managing everything from bartending and preparing delicious horsd’oeuvres to registration and selling art. Thanks to Reptilia’s manager, Josh Feltham, who made all the necessary adjustments to the venue and educated and entertained guests with live animal demonstrations. The second annual art show and sale will take place at Reptilia in April 2009 – stay tuned for details.

Volunteers continued to help the Fiesta Verde event run without a glitch in October of this year. This is a much bigger affair than the art sale and so it was a relief to have on hand a small army of volunteers! I feel honoured to work with such a committed (and fun) group of people - thank
you - to all of you.

And finally – we need more COTERC members. Members support the organization financially and bring ideas to enrich the programs and broaden our spectrum. Please invite your friends and family to join in the New Year – a lot is going on both in Canada and Costa Rica that is both exciting and worthwhile. If you have suggestions for how we can increase membership, please get in touch with me or any of the COTERC board members.

Caroline Greenland
Membership & Volunteer Development

Originally published in Raphia Winter 2009

Update From CAÑO PALMA: Winter 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Matt V - Mvern78) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 20:13:00 +0000

Greetings from Caño Palma Biological Station!

Well it has been a very busy last few months here at Caño Palma and many exciting things have been happening. With help from former COTERC board member Josh Feltham and his family, who arrived in September, the boardwalk on the Colibrí trail has been completed and we now have an elevated, sturdy boardwalk covering the entire 200m of the trail. This will enable us to conduct research in the wettest times of year while allowing the forest to regenerate by reducing the trampling effect on vegetation and wildlife around the trail, helping to lessen our footprint on the forest. It will also allow the tourists that come to visit the station a chance to walk through the forest and learn more about the area. This project could not have been possible without a
generous donation from Dr Steve Furino of the University of Waterloo. Thanks again for your support.

The boardwalk has been used almost daily since its completion. Josh has been bringing tourists, CCC bird banders and both GVI and COTERC volunteers out on night walks looking for anything and everything they can find. They have had quite a bit of luck and have found such things as tarantulas, small opossums, many species of frogs and such snakes as the Northern Cat-eyed Snake (Leptodeira septentrionalis), Common Snaileater (Sibon nebulatus) and the always popular Blunt-headed Vine Snake (Imantodes cenchoa). It has also been used by visiting researcher Liam Fahley. Liam has been continuing the study that was started a few years ago by Todd Lewis and is searching the trail and station grounds nightly looking for Annulated Tree Boas (Corallus annulatus) and Ringed Snaileaters (Sibon annulatus). The heavy rains and flood waters came and went, but due to the boardwalk (and a canoe needed to get to it!), the research continued.

We also had visiting researchers come to the station that were part of a project involving 3 international universities. Dr Juan Monros and his research team from the University of Valencia in Spain, along with researchers from the University of Leon in Nicaragua and the University of Costa Rica came to the station to study the Manacari forest of the area. They were here identifying the bird, plant and reptile life that live in this forest and they are looking to compare these findings with other Manacari forests in Costa Rica.

So as you can see, there have been some exciting things going on at Caño Palma. Add to this the sighting of a Boa constrictor (Boa constrictor), Bromeliad boa (Ungaliophis panamensis) an Eyelash viper (Bothriechis schlegelii) and the release of 97 Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricate) hatchlings into the sea from an excavated nest and you can see why this place is so special.

March will be here soon enough and with it will bring COTERC Chair Tom Mason and his group’s annual visit to the station. It is a great way to come and experience the station, see some amazing wildlife and help out with the sea turtle and mammal monitoring programs.

I invite you all to come down to Costa Rica and visit the station and find out for yourself why people fall in love with the area.

All the best for a happy 2009,

Jonathan Willans,
Manager, Caño Palma Biological Station

Originally published in Raphia Winter 2009