Costa Rica’s Airport Faces Challenges Amid High Tourist Influx
Costa Rican authorities have expressed concern about the conditions at Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia, Guanacaste, as the growing flow of tourists is affecting the quality of service provided. The airport, known for receiving the country’s most “exclusive” visitors, faces issues such as high traffic, lack of sufficient bridges or sleeves, difficulties in transporting baggage to aircraft, and tourists having to disembark planes by stairs and wait outside the terminal.
Despite complaints from various sectors, the airport’s general manager maintains that the service provided responds to stipulated times and is of the required quality, although he acknowledges the need for more investment in the future.
Costa Rica Exposes Real Estate Mafia Destroying Ecosystems
Luis Diego Hernández, coordinating prosecutor of the Environmental Deputy Prosecutor’s Office, has denounced the existence of a real estate mafia in Costa Rica that profits from development projects harmful to ecosystems. Hernández made this statement following complaints about the damage caused to the Coris wetland in Cartago, which serves as a habitat for many bird species.
He pointed out that the State does not prohibit harmful development, and municipalities prioritize excessive development over environmental protection. Although there are legal measures to recover wetlands and demolish buildings, it is almost impossible to recover a wetland once the matter goes to criminal proceedings due to irreparable consequences.
Deep-Sea Worm Discovered in Costa Rica
Marine biologists from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, and other international scientists have discovered a new deep-sea worm called Pectinereis strickrotti in a methane seep off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. The worm has unique features, such as feathery appendages with gill tips and a sinuous swimming style.
The discovery, published in PLOS ONE, highlights the importance of methane seep ecosystems and the need for further research. Since 2009, the team has found approximately 450 species in Costa Rica’s methane seeps, with 48 being new to science