The Paramo Wildlife Refuge was created on December 7th, 1999 to protect tropical forest areas and part of the moors in the high elevations of the Talamanca Mountains in Costa Rica. It is located within the Los Santos Forest Reserve in San José province, near the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.
The rainfall ranges between 2000 and 3000mm per year, with a temperature ranges between 12°C and 28°C. Because of its location in the area of Los Santos its biodiversity is very similar that the one you can find in Cerro Las Vueltas Biological Reserve and Los Quetzales National Park (Former Los Santos Forest Reserve), with tropical wet forest, transition to montane, rainy montane and lower rainy montane. Plant species found in the area are: oaks, Post Oak, Guettarda comata, Ruscus aculeatus, magnolia, Vantanea babourii, Alder, Hirtella racemosa, Mexican Elm, Inga alba, Ladenbergi brenesii, Prunus cornifolia, Palm hearts, Sapium glandulosum, Tree ferns, Clusia major (Copey, Autograph Tree, Pitch-apple), Mosquitoxylum jamaicense, Weinmannia, Cojoba arborea, Humiriastrum diguense, Poor man umbrella, Brunellia, “Arrayancillo” and Clethra costaricensis.
The fauna is rich and varied, where tapirs, peccaries, squirrels, goats, coaties, coyotes, porcupines, armadillos, partridges, raccoons, weasels, jaguarundies, margays, foxes, pigeons been observed. There are also a lot of snakes like the the Side-striped Palm-pitviper, the Fer-de-lance and the Costa Rican Coralsnake.
Other nearby Costa Rica National Parks includes the Cerro Las Vueltas Biological Reserve and Los Quetzales National Park (Former Los Santos Forest Reserve), Tapanti National Park and Chirripo National Park. There are no public park facilities at this biological reserve.
Getting to Paramo Wildlife Refuge:
Take the road from San Jose to Cartago, on the Interamerican Highway, and take the exit for the Cerro de la Muerte until you reach km. 51, El Empalme, turn right to Santa Maria de Dota.
By bus
Take a bus from the route San Jose – Los Santos (Santa Maria de Dota, San Marcos de Tarrazu y San Pablo de Leon Cortes), which takes about 2 hours (Tranasportes Los Santos, 2546-7248 / 2227-3597). From here you can take taxi to Paramo National Wildlife Refuge.
Location: within the Los Santos Forest Reserve, in San José province.
Santa Maria de Dota GPS coordinates: 9.653131,-83.969856 (9°39’11.27″N, 83°58’11.48″W)
Size: 802ha (1,405 acres)
Central Pacific Conservation Area (ACOPAC) Telephone: +(506) 2416-7878
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192
Address map: Haga clic aquí para ver la dirección desde el Aeropuerto Internacional Juan Santamaría, Alajuela, Costa Rica a Empalme, Cartago, Costa Rica en Google Maps
The Cerro las Vueltas Biological Reserve was created since 1994, but it was decreed as one on July 26th, 1995. It is located within the Los Santos Forest Reserve in the district of the canton Copey de Dota in San José province, near the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. It protects part of the moors that are in the highest parts of the Cordillera de Talamanca and  oak forests, composed mainly of huge oak trees (Quercus spp), which surrounding them.
With its high biodiversity in this region are the following types of forests: tropical wet, transition to montane, rainy montane and lower rainy montane. Plant species found in the area are: oak, Post Oak, Guettarda comata, Ruscus aculeatus, magnolia, Vantanea babourii, Alder, Hirtella racemosa, Mexican Elm, Inga alba, Ladenbergi brenesii, “Horquetilla”, “Papayillo”, “Cucaracho”, “Quizarrá”, Prunus cornifolia, “Picarillo”, Palm hearts, Sapium glandulosum, “Yas”, “Palo de paja”, Tree ferns, Clusia major (Copey, Autograph Tree, Pitch-apple), Mosquitoxylum jamaicense, Weinmannia, Cojoba arborea, Humiriastrum diguense,, “Ciprecillo”, Poor man umbrella, Brunellia, “Arrayancillo”, “Candelillo” and Clethra costaricensis.
The fauna is rich and varied. It have been observed tapirs, peccaries, jaguarundies, margays, goats, coaties, foxes, coyotes, armadillos, raccoons, weasels, porcupines, squirrels, turkeys, partridges, pigeons. The Sooty Thrush (Turdus nigrescens,) a resident bird of high elevations, is very common. In rivers you can find otters and trout. There are also some snakes like the Fer-de-lance, the Side-striped Palm-pitviper and the Costa Rican  Coralsnake.
The rainfall ranges between 2000 and 3000mm per year. The temperature ranges between 12°C and 28°C. Because of its location in the area of Los Santos, the region has evidence of sedimentary rocks, mainly shale, limestone and sandstone.
The Rounds Hill has 3156 m altitude, is located next to the Pan American Highway (km 74) and is an excellent vantage point Laps it covers a large area of the country. An interesting fact is that the historic road that connected the Central Valley to San Isidro de El General, passes through the reserve. Other nearby Costa Rica National Parks includes the Los Quetzales National Park (formerly Los Santos Biological Reserve), Paramo Wildlife Refuge, Tapanti National Park and Chirripo National Park. There are no public park facilities at this biological reserve.
Getting to Cerro las Vueltas Biological Reserve:
Take the road from San Jose to Cartago, on the Interamerican Highway, and take the exit for the Cerro de la Muerte until you reach km. 51, El Empalme, turn right to Santa Maria de Dota. At the park, turn left for 7 km to Copey. Shortly after you pass the turnoff to Copey de Dota, the road to the Station will be on your left.
By bus
Take a bus from the route San Jose – Los Santos (Santa Maria de Dota, San Marcos de Tarrazu y San Pablo de Leon Cortes), which takes about 2 hours (Tranasportes Los Santos, 2546-7248 / 2227-3597). From here you can take taxi to Cerro las Vueltas Biological Reserve, which takes about 10 minutes.
Location: within the Los Santos Forest Reserve, in San José province.
Santa Maria de Dota GPS coordinates: 9.653131,-83.969856 (9°39’11.27″N, 83°58’11.48″W)
Size: 802ha (1,980 acres)
Central Pacific Conservation Area (ACOPAC) Telephone: +(506) 2416-7878
INFOTUR Tourist Information: 1192
Address map: Click here to view directions from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Empalme, Cartago, Costa Rica at Google Maps
The Central Pacific Conservation Area of Costa Rica is characterized by a variety of landscapes and micro-climates, which help to give a high biodiversity. That’s why on February 16th 1994 the Fernando Castro Cervantes  Wildlife Refuge was created.
The Fernando Castro Cervantes Wildlife Refuge is located in the Turrubares Canton, Province of San Jose and directly adjacent to the Turrubares Hills Protected Area. This refuge was created in order to serve as a biological corridor between the Carara Biological Reserve, now the Carara National Park, and the Turrubares Hills Protected Area. Since the recovery of this refuge, which soils have no agricultural potential, it is necessary to realize the project of a biological corridor between Carara and the complex of La Amistad, which promotes the Green Iguana Foundation. Some roads that start from Tárcoles, in the Orotina-Jacó road, allow access to some parts of this refuge.
Almost the entire area of the refuge is covered by secondary growth forests, so they are very common pioneer species such as balsa (Ochroma pyramidale), the guarumo (Cecropia sp), the guácimo (Guazuma ulmifolia) and buzzard (Schyzolobium parahyba), among others, as the life zone is tropical wet forest, with transition to premontane forest.
Among the fauna, highlighting are the white tailed deers (Odocoileus virginianus), peccaries (Tayassu tajacu), the common armadillos (Dasypus novemcintus), coaties (Nasua narica), raccoons (Procyon lotor), white-faced or capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus), among others. It is common to see the Scarlet Macaws (Ara macao), the Crested Guan (Penelope purpurascens), the Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus), the Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) and several species of hawks. Among the reptiles are common green iguanas (Iguana iguana), the fer-de-lance or terciopelo (velvet) snake (Bothrops asper), the Boa constrictor and the Clelia Clelia.
The climate is humid, very hot, with a long dry season. The grounds are covered in tacotales and secondary forests that were transferred by IDA to be devoted to shaping the biological corridor. The soils are red associated with very little development, suitable for permanent crops such livestock or forest use. The higher parts are not suitable for agriculture or livestock, because they are shallow soils on steep slopes, with high susceptibility to erosion. The Turrubares Hill is a volcanic focus probably contemporary with El monte del Aguacate (Avocado mount), which preserves barely changed outcrops of lava in the cone (andesite), proof of its relative youth.
Getting there:
From downtown San Jose takes about 1 hour, take the Prospero Fernandez Highway, which starts at the National Gymnasium in La Sabana. From there continue directly to the west through the towns of Escazu, Santa Ana, Ciudad Colon and Puriscal. From Puriscal takes about 40 minutes to reach San Juan de Mata de Turrubares. Turrubares also has other alternative routes such as the canton of Orotina and the canton of Atenas.
From Puntarenas downtown, Caldera or Jaco, you should first get to Orotina. From there the distance is about 7 km, approximately 15 minutes. Buses to Jacó or Quepos, pass through Orotina. They has daily express departures from San José, at the Coca Cola Terminal. Transportes Morales S.A., Tel: (506) 223-5567.
Location: west from Carara National Park, canton: Turrubares, in San Jose province, Costa Rica.
Orotina GPS Coordinates: 9°54’43.41″N, 84°31’10.19″W
Size: 1613ha (3985 acres)
Address map: Click here to view directions from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), Alajuela, Costa Rica TO Puriscal, San Jose, Costa Rica at Google Maps
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