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+1833-344-5835 USA   +1833-252-9786 CAN
+506-2761-1800 Costa Rica & other countries

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 Welcome to Selva Verde

A TRULY UNIQUE COSTA RICAN ECO-LODGE 

 

International students seek out Selva Verde for research opportunities

COSTA RICA NEWS

Why Selva Verde?

Selva Verde Lodge & Reserve (SVL) is home to 500 acres of primary and secondary rainforest in the lowlands of the Costa Rican rainforest. Back in the 1980’s this land was rescued by the Holbrook family for the purpose of conservation and habitat protection. More than 30 years later, the reserve is thriving and continues to provide refuge for the abundance of wildlife found within its borders. As a result, it has also become an attractive location for scientists and students wishing to study unspoiled tropical biodiversity. Not only is the wildlife vast, Selva Verde Reserve is part of the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, a natural biological passage way that spans eight countries (Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Salvador, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras and Mexico) and links the North and South American continents. The corridor is essentially a series of interconnected parks, reserves and refuges that provide safe passage or respite for migratory and endemic species.

Annabelle Mall SVL thMeet SVL’s guest researcher

Annabelle Mall, B.Sc., is a post-graduate student of environmental engineering residing in Germany. She recently completed her third semester of her master’s program and was seeking an opportunity to gain cross-cultural competence and advance her practical experiences. Annabelle chose to journey to SVL for a ten-week long internship program, volunteering alongside two local biologists with research projects at SVL. Annabelle writes in her report that she chose Selva Verde, because of its prime location within the Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, as well as a being a participant and holder of the Certificate for Sustainable Tourism (CST).

An inside look at the internship

Mall’s internship is ten-weeks total, with her first month completed at the end of March. “The aim for my first month was to get a first impression of the current research programs in SVL,” says Mall. Her assignment was to assist biologists, Alejandro Zuñiga and Daniel Ramírez (below, left), with ongoing research taking place in the primary and secondary 500-acre rainforest of SVL Reserve. The first 4 weeks were divided as such:

  • Week 1: Mammals Research Program
  • Week 2: Herpetology Research Program
  • Week 3: Plants and Mushrooms Research Program
  • Week 4: Data Analysis

Zuniga Ramirez SVL thEach research program employed different methodologies, which Mall recollects in detail in her report. The mammalian study used methods including: footprint and fecal tracking, mist-nets (specifically for bats), and analysis of camera-trap data; the herpetology study involved capture and release methods for identification, as well as the creation of multiple transects in the forest interior to determine abundances and distribution of species within the region; the tropical flora research program was divided into two separate studies: plant research and mushroom research, and finally the last week was reserved for data analysis. For detailed description of methods, results, and conclusions, access Mall's full report here.

At this juncture conclusions are still preliminary and research is ongoing; however it is clear that the biodiversity at SVL is immense and learning more about wildlife distribution, composition, and how this changes with the seasons will be invaluable information to aid in further conservation here at Selva Verde.

 

Featured Story view all

GBD2022-1Costa Rican International Herpetological Symposium is back in its Fifth edition

After five years of obligatory absence, the Costa Rican International Herpetological Symposium is back in its Fifth edition.

Costa Rica is home to 5% of the planet's biodiversity. Though small in geographic area, Costa Rica has one of the highest densities of herpetofauna in the world with more than 440 species of reptiles and amphibians. The Symposium will feature presentations and workshops about conservation and herpetology by organizations and individuals. Come and learn about new findings and research from all over the Americas and beyond, or see how you can share your own work with conference participants and other interested people.

This is the 5th herpetological symposium at Selva Verde Lodge since they began in 2013.  Read more...

Get your Registration Form here...

 


Regresa el Simposio Internacional de Herpetología de Costa Rica en su Quinta edición...

Obtenga su Formulario de Registro acá...

 

FROM THE BLOG ( VIEW ALL )

SVLvelvetwormVelvet Worm Sighting in Selva Verde Lodge!

The night of September 9, 2022, during a night hike, our guide Randy Alvarado managed to spot in the primary forest of Selva Verde Lodge a species that is exceptionally hard to find in Costa Rica, a velvet worm (Onicóforo in Spanish). This is one of the oldest living beings in evolutionary terms, as it is known they exist since the Cambrian Period, more than 515 million years ago.

 

 

NEWS ( View All )

GBD2022-1Costa Rican International Herpetological Symposium is back in its Fifth edition

After five years of obligatory absence, the Costa Rican International Herpetological Symposium is back in its Fifth edition.

Costa Rica is home to 5% of the planet's biodiversity. Though small in geographic area, Costa Rica has one of the highest densities of herpetofauna in the world with more than 440 species of reptiles and amphibians. The Symposium will feature presentations and workshops about conservation and herpetology by organizations and individuals. Come and learn about new findings and research from all over the Americas and beyond, or see how you can share your own work with conference participants and other interested people.

This is the 5th herpetological symposium at Selva Verde Lodge since they began in 2013.  Read more...

Get your Registration Form here...

 


Regresa el Simposio Internacional de Herpetología de Costa Rica en su Quinta edición...

Obtenga su Formulario de Registro acá...

 

   OUR STORY

holbrooks 1982 ourstory idx

The Selva Verde Story

Selva Verde began with one woman's dream of preserving nearly 500 acres of endangered tropical forest and the multitude of species that call it home.

READ MORE ...