Friday, January 15, 2010

Shadow Shot Sunday 42 - Sloth-Spotting in Costa Rica...




















Manuel Antonio National Park is a beautiful place in Costa Rica where the rainforest meets the sea with pristine beaches and crystalline waters. It is also home to a wide range of birds, insects, and wild life from bats to butterflies, tarantulas to howlers, and capuchins to sloths. Here on the beach everyone is catching a glimpse of a sloth through the guide's swarovski scope.....














Sloths sleep for up to 19 hours a day and descend from the tree just once a week for a bathroom visit. They look weighty and portly, but in fact, most of this is shaggy fur, and they actually only weigh in at 6kg on average. They have 4 stomachs and regurgitate food like a cow with everything being done in slow motion including mating. They can live up to 30 years, and judging by the smile on this sloth's face, it must be a wonderful lifestyle - probably the origin of Costa Rica's famous catchphrase "Pura Vida"....










A "Pura Vida" lifestyle that tourists and visitors find no trouble in quickly imitating and equally enjoying.......



For more fun with shadows check out Shadow Shot Sunday by clicking here....

27 comments:

Owen said...

A massage on the beach ??? I'm sure one could become very sloth-like quite fast in such conditions... SIGN ME UP !

:-)

Catherine said...

Owen - hahaha - I hasten to add that is not me on the beach - I am more capuchin like in my lifestyle - dashing about everywhere rather than slothing it!! although I did like the mistranslation of a perrososo as a "sluggish" !!

Crafty Green Poet said...

oh that sloth in the second photo looks so green - that will be all the alga growing on it because it moves so slowly?

They do always look happy....

Ralph said...

The strong sun leaves a warm sun on our backs - to a coolings shadow must feel soothing, indeed! The look of the Pacific (or is it the Atlantic?) is one of paradise, especially to us northerners. What can we say about that sloth? We would move slowly if we lived as close to the Equator like him - don't overdo on a hot day...

Sylvia K said...

I'm next in line for the massage!! The older I get, the more sloth like I become! Damn, never thought I'd be saying that. Love your shadow shots, as always, Catherine! Always feel like I've been wherever you are! Hope you have a terrific weekend!

Sylvia

bobbie said...

What terrific shadow shots! Love them all.

Martha Z said...

Great shadows and great capture of the sloth. It's nice to see them where they belong rather than in a zoo.

Beverley Baird said...

What great shadows! Love the sloth!
What a beautiful spot to be visiting!

Chubby Chieque said...

I need to have like the last shot you have. I really missed massage on the beach, sloth or not, me like anyways. Bring it on, baby...

Most wonderful thing I want to have now, pls?

All shots are well taken Cath. So nice and I love the strong sunshine that give you the dark shadows.

Have a happy SS, dear friend!

Sam said...

Wow! I can't tell you how beautiful and exotic your photos are to me!! The sloth - such a pretty, sleepy face! Great shots!!

A Wild Thing said...

Ahhh...the life of a sloth!!!

Margaret Gosden said...

So, is this where the word 'slothful' originates, I wonder. You have a beautiful header photo!

Hey Harriet said...

Oh so that's what a sloth looks like? Funny looking little creatures they are! I can see why he is so happy. I'd be happy to trade places for a while. Although the once a week bathroom visit could be a problem though ;)

Have a super week ahead!

Monna said...

I was just watching "Ice Age 2" last night and there is this fantastic scene where the mini-sloths worship Sid, the Sloth as their Fire God... and then they throw him in the volcano.

I did not actually know that sloths still existed... this is such a cool (and informative) post. Thanks!

Gena D said...

Hi Catherine! love the shadow shot!! interesting post - and of course like everyoen else, I want the massage on the beach too!!! enjoy the rest of your weekend
Gena @ Thinking Aloud
South Africa

Eden said...

Great shadow shots especially the first. Looks like a beautiful place to visit and experience that massage in the beach.

thanks for dropping by.

Serendipity said...

Wonderful pictures! I've never seen a sloth before - he certainly looks content!

Hot Fudge said...

I'm coming back as a sloth!

Gerald (Ackworth born) said...

O sloth spotting sounds much more idyllic than photographing snow.

Dianne said...

I'll be a sloth!
actually I probably am ;)

fun shadows
and great sloth facts

Anonymous said...

Lovely photos and interesting information - I think I might come back as a sloth .....

Tom Hilton said...

I spent New Year's Eve 1985/86 on the beach at Manuel Antonio--wonderful place (didn't see any sloths, though). Cool shots.

Catherine said...

so pleased you all enjoyed the sloth shots this week!!

wanderlust said...

Great shadows, I like the colors here. What an adorable face that sloth has!

Carolyn Ford said...

Wow! What a great lens! The shadows are wonderful. My daughter and her husband were there a few years ago...and, I have been to Costa Rica but we visited Tambor...what a beautiful country it is!

Carol said...

Great shadow shots! And interesting info also.

Catherine said...

hi Wanderlust, Carol and Carolyn - thanks so much for stoppping by - glad you liked the sloth shots...