Excursion Sloths paradise and macaws tour at Puntarenas

Explore the incredible wildlife at the De Natuwa Sanctuary at El Manantial, a Costa Rican wildlife conservation charity working to save and protect endangered species from extinction. Headquartered in Aranjuez de Puntarenas, Natuwa works with some of the most endangered native birds of Costa Rica, focusing on the rarest species and the most fragile habitats.

Drive one hour to arrive at Natuwa, where the main focus of conservation are the Scarlet Macaw (Ara Macao) and the Great Green Macaw (Ara Ambigua), who once flew freely in many areas of Costa Rica. In 1994, individuals concerned with the status of these endangered species decided to create a project for their conservation; with the sole purpose of the project being the reintroducing of Macaws back into the wild, striving to increase their population numbers.

In November 2014 three jaguar cubs were brought to the Natuwa Sanctuary, just a few days old. The Costa Rican government rescued them and brought them to Natuwa to be taken care of because they were orphaned. Their mother was hunting livestock in order to feed her offspring and was killed by a human in the process.

In this wonderful place, you can also visit a project designed exclusively for the conservation of the sloths. Meet a local expert who can explain everything about these charismatic mammals while you learn about rescuing, rehabilitating, researching and releasing sloths back into the wild. The sanctuary has designated an area where sloths continue their life in the most natural environment possible, surrounded with native trees of different species where they can feed while they enjoy their characteristic upside-down view.

Under the direction of a group of specialists in wildlife management and under the supervision of the Ministry of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica (MINAE), the Sloth Paradise, is considered a conservation tool to meet the needs of many of these animals that have been orphaned; this due to anthropogenic actions and the function of the Sloth Paradise is to provide assistance to the sloths and get them back to their natural environments.

There is time for shopping and independent exploration before making the return trip to the ship.

Points of interests

Points of interest seen on this excursion include: De Natuwa Sanctuary at El Manantial, Sloth Paradise conservation project, native endangered macaw species (Scarlet and Great Green Macaws)

Note

Please note: This excursion is not wheelchair accessible due to uneven natural terrain. If guests with walking difficulties can manage the steps into and out of the coach, they may be able to participate. Guests unable to walk the full trail can be transported separately to the other portions of the tour. Wear light clothing, comfortable shoes, sun protection (including hat) and insect repellent. Wildlife sightings are common but not guaranteed - please no flash photography of the animals.