A Rare Find: Poas Squirrel

I'm not sure what it is about me and squirrels on this trip but we were able to photograph this little fellow while at Poas. It is the aptly named the Poas Squirrel and only inhabits three volcanic mountaintops in the world. Fortunately for us one is Volcan Poas, the others being one in Panama and the other being Tapanti National Park also in Costa Rica.

As we continued on the trail after viewing Lake Botos (the highest elevation of the park) we found these little fellows scurrying around on the dense jungle underbrush. This one stopped long enough for Rob to take his picture, he almost seemed to pose. These "mountain squirrels" are identifiable by their greenish-yellow colour with a tail always as least as long as their body. Also notice the small short ears which set them apart from the similar but more populous red squirrel.