Curu Reserve
Curu Reserve
The Curu Biological Reserve, on the Peninsula de Nicoya, offers diverse wildlife from white faced monkeys to phantom crabs. Though smaller than Ireland, Costa Rica boasts an amazing biodiversity. With more butterfly species than the whole of Africa, more bird species than Europe, its precious tropical rainforests harbour over half a million plant and aninial species. Small wonder that about a quarter of Costa Rica is protected nature reserve or national Park. Among the first inhabitants of Costa Rica were the Guymi Indians, who greeted Columbus when he arrived in the early 16th century. The area was colonized by Spain in 1506, but the Indians successfully forced them off their land. Several additional failed attempts by the Spanish to colonize Costa Rica followed until 1563 when Spanish governor Juan Vasquez de Coronado arrived. Costa Rica's independence was established in 1821, and the coffee trade flourished.
