Location: west from Carara National Park, canton: Turrubares, in San Jose province, Costa Rica.
San Juan de Mata de Turrubares GPS Coordinates: 9.8767117, -84.5201269 (9°52’36.16″N, 84°31’12.45″W)
Size: 1613ha (3985 acres)
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 2223-5567.
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