Lomas Barbudal is a Nature Reserve of Costa Rica, part of the Tempisque Conservation Area that covers 6,536 acres in the Guanacaste province. In this area, many endangered deciduous trees such as ron-ron, pochote, and cocobolo thrive as well as over 250 different species of bees. Lomas Barbudal is also home to several groups of white-faced capuchin monkeys which, since 1990, have been the subject of the Lomas Barbudal Capuchin Monkey Project. Led by Dr. Susan Perry of UCLA, the research project follows and documents the daily lives of these fascinating creatures – recording the monkey’s humorous, heartwarming, and sometimes tragic stories to better understand their place and future in the Costa Rican environment.

We were lucky enough to be able to chat with Susan about her research and explore the natural habit in this park. After listening to Susan tell monkey stories, we walked a brand new nature trail. The trail markers had literally just been hung a few days earlier! The trail is constructed from the eyes of a monkey, explaining which trees are used for sleeping (Samanea Saman – the rain tree), where to find the tastiest fruits (Slonea terniflora), and which tree has sap that can be used as natural insect repellent (Guapinol).

The trail ended in the depths of the forest at a beautiful pair of waterfalls. We climbed down and enjoyed getting splashed by the falls, taking in the wonder of this place and still keeping our eyes peeled for monkeys.

All in all, we left with a greater appreciation for this special animal – the white-faced capuchin monkey – and how we as individuals can create a larger awareness for their protection and encourage continual conservation efforts. These monkeys will be our guides to live a life supporting and loving the natural wonders of Costa Rica and all of the world.