New Inventory of Species Confirms Costa Rica's Amazing Biodiversity

I have written often in my blog often about- Moreover, scientists believe that the 91,000
Costa Rica's amazing level of biodiversity. Now arecorded species only represent 18% of what is
new inventory of species published this month byreally out there. In other words, the total number
scientists of the Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidadof species could reach as high as 500,000! Other
(INBio) sheds new light on just how diverse Costaspecies unknown are likely in the form of insects,
Rica really is. Consider these facts:mushrooms, and bacterias.
- Costa Rica has 1.8 species of animals and plants- Every two days a new species is discovered.
for every square kilometer of its territory. This- The reason for this incredible diversity is no
places it in 9th position for density of species ofdoubt the fact that Costa Rica is a "land bridge"
all countries in the world and the 20th mostbetween the two Americas and also because it is
diverse in the world.bound by two oceans that are separated by
- Costa Rica has 51,000 square kilometers ofmountain chains. This gives rise to a variety of
territory, which is only 0.03% of the totalclimates that support a wide array of animal life.
terrestrial territory of the planet. However, it has- 1600 of Costa Rica's species are under some
91,000 known species of plants and animals, andlevel of threat, with 45% being amphibians of
this translates to 4.5% of all known species in thevarious types, 12% plants and 10% vertebrates.
world!The title of the publication is Biodiversidad de
- In terms of diversity with respect to specificCosta Rica En Cifras. The principal author is Vilma
forms of life, Costa Rica ranks 17th for plants,Obando A. The book can be purchased for 1,500
13th for amphibians, 20th for reptiles, 24th forcolones at INBio Parque, as well as other locations
birds and 32nd for mammals. Not too bad for ain the country.
country the size of West Virginia.