Close encounters with a whale shark in Costa Rica

Would you love to see a monkey in the wild? Or maybe a sloth right next to you in a tree? What about getting close to wild dolphins, or a humpback whale?

When guests come to Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge in Costa Rica, often they have a favorite animal they want to see in person. Maybe they have been dreaming about it their whole life. Or, they recently read up on the cool wildlife in Costa Rica. Given that Costa Rica is the eco-capital of Latin America with nearly 6 percent of the world’s biodiversity, it is understandable.

For one recent guest at Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge, it was a whale shark he longed to see. And on a bright, sunny day in April, he had his chance in the Golfo Dulce of Costa Rica.

Guests and staff at the Costa Rica eco-lodge were surprised that morning to encounter a whale shark swimming just off of Nicuesa Beach. Boat captain Alejandro was readying a boat for a guest trip, when he saw a huge school of sardines swimming nearby, followed by a whale shark. As usual, when a Nicuesa staff member sees interesting wildlife, Alejandro called all staff and guests by walkie-talkie to come to the beach immediately. “It was an unforgettable experience for everyone,” said Natalia Solis, Sustainability Coordinator at Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge. “Our guest was super grateful because whale sharks are his favorite animal, and by surprise, this was his first time to ever see one … when he was at Nicuesa.” “Without a doubt, this was the ‘Holy Grail’ of marine observation,” enthusiastically added Marcelo Lopez, resident manager at Nicuesa Lodge.

Whale Sharks An endangered species, whale sharks live in warm and tropical waters, and are considered to be the largest fish in the world â€" growing up to 40 feet (12m) long. Despite their name, whale sharks are not related to whales and are not mammals. And though they are in the shark family, whale sharks feed mainly on plankton and small fish. Whale sharks usually swim with their huge gaping mouths wide open, making it easier to scoop up food along their way. After getting its fill, the whale shark will close its mouth and filter out the water through its gills, leaving only its meal trapped. Despite being big and looking intimidating, whale sharks are surprisingly gentle, curious and non-aggressive. They tend to swim near the ocean’s surface, and snorkelers and scuba divers frequently report that they enjoy close encounters with whale sharks.

 

Whale sharks, which live to be 70 to 100 years old, at one time populated most of the Earth’s tropical waters, but their numbers are dwindling. These docile sharks are being hunted in the waters around Asia and are now endangered worldwide. Vacation in Costa Rica by the rainforest and ocean Disconnect from regular life and reconnect with what’s important to you, and with the Earth and nature at Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge.

 

Nicuesa Lodge’s 165-acre private Costa Rica rainforest reserve is located in the phenomenal Golfo Dulce/Osa Peninsula region in southern Costa Rica. Accessible only by boat on the Pacific gulf of Golfo Dulce, the lodge fronts this important life zone for Pacific Humpback Whales, dolphins, hammerhead sharks, whale sharks and sea turtles. It is a unique Costa Rica adventure travel destination for its remote, pristine wilderness location.