A howler monkey with its baby swinging at our university's local garden! I didn't expect such an exotic specie be anywhere so close to where I was studying, but when I heard the tree shaking and saw the monkeys swinging and walking on the branches, it was absolutely thrilling! The university that I'm attending for my study- abroad program is the University of Costa Rica. This university has various sites situated in different parts of Costa Rica. The university has a local forest/garden/trail which they maintain and cultivate different types of plants and wildlife. According to my professors, the howler monkeys recently moved there in early 2019 and it's only one family of four. They are mostly active in the early morning and late evening, when you can hear their boisterous howl. Although I have watched these monkeys often, I have yet to hear them howl; it is on my bucket list to hear them do that before I leave Costa Rica!
Here in Costa Rica, the sun rises at 5:00 AM and starts setting at 6:00 PM, but it's officially considered dark at 8:00 PM. As a result, it constantly feels like it's bright and sunny here, and the day feels so long!
