Costa Rica Wildlife
The Fascinating World of Long-Nosed Bats: Discovering the Unique Adaptations and Behaviors of These Mysterious Creatures from the Peñas Blancas River, Costa Rica.
· Caribbean Winds
The bats discussed here are proboscis bats (Rhynchonycteris naso), also known as Brazilian long-nosed bats. This is one species in the family Emballonuridae, rather than a group of hundreds of long-nosed species.
A bat of tropical Latin America
Proboscis bats occur from southern Mexico through Central America into parts of South America. They often occupy lowland tropical forest near water.
Insects, not nectar or fruit
Rhynchonycteris naso is insectivorous. Its diet should not be confused with the nectar- or fruit-feeding diets of other bat species. Claims that these particular bats pollinate flowers or disperse fruit seeds do not describe their feeding ecology.
Resting beside the river
These bats can rest visibly on tree trunks near water. Researchers working in Gamboa, Panama recorded a group arranged in a line on a trunk beside shallow water. This offers useful context for the similar formations described by our guides along the Peñas Blancas River.
Wildlife watching on the Peñas Blancas River
A river safari near La Fortuna offers opportunities to observe wildlife in its habitat. Bat sightings depend on conditions and are not guaranteed. Follow your guide’s instructions, watch quietly and leave resting animals undisturbed.