Spirit Adds New Direct Flights Connecting Costa Rica and Texas

Spirit Airlines has announced daily nonstop flights from Juan Santamaría International Airport in San José, Costa Rica to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas beginning March 6th, further connecting Costa Rica with its top source market, the United States. With Houston being home to over 2 million potential travelers with strong interest in visiting Costa Rica, this new route strengthens air connectivity and provides more affordable options for Costa Ricans and Texans alike. To celebrate the launch, Spirit will offer special discounted one-way fares starting at $131 between March and May, highlighting the carrier’s commitment to providing budget-friendly service to Costa Rica’s tourism hubs.

Revolutionary Carbon Reduction Project

The Center for Advanced Applied Research and the Tropical Agronomic Research and Higher Education Center have collaborated to launch “Project One,” a sustainability initiative aiming to greatly reduce the carbon footprint of coffee and vegetable farming in Costa Rica’s prime coffee-growing regions. By utilizing organic fertilizers, strategic reforestation, and upgrading transportation fleets, Project One seeks to minimize pollution while enhancing crop yields. Initial trials display excellent potential to reduce ecological impact without reducing coffee quality or yields. Costa Rica’s reputation as a leader in eco-conscious coffee stands to grow thanks to Project One’s ambitious goals to help Costa Rican coffee become the first Carbon Positive certified coffee globally and serve as a sustainability model across the tropics.

Costa Rica Study Reveals Pacific Catshark’s Extensive Journeys

Researchers from the University of Costa Rica have uncovered new migration patterns for the endangered Pacific catshark, showing the species is capable of long-distance travel beyond 200 km. By tagging sharks with acoustic transmitters and monitoring their movements, scientists recorded a male Pacific catshark traveling over 390 km from Bahía Santa Elena Marine Management Area to the Nicoya Peninsula and back over the course of two months. These findings, published in a recent study, reveal the species’ extensive habitat range and mobility, underscoring the need for expanded conservation efforts and protected corridors to mitigate threats the migratory shark faces from coastal fisheries and human activity. Tracking data provides key insights to guide strategic protection of the Pacific catshark as it ventures beyond isolated marine protected areas across multiple regions.