Pitilla Station Logistics
Welcome to Pitilla! Estacion Biologica Pitilla is a remote biological station in
Northwestern Costa Rica. Pitilla is located in and administered by the Area de
Conservacion Guanacaste (ACG). The ACG incorporates both Santa Rosa National Park
and Guanacaste National Park into a much larger and continuous conservation area.
Pitilla is in the area of the former GNP. It is located 9 km south-west of the village of
Santa Cecilia, accessible on a rough mud road by 4-wheel drive vehicles. The station lies
in the mid-elevation (700m) tropical rainforest biome, on the interface of primary forest
and reclaimed pastureland. Expect very high humidity and frequent, abrupt rainstorms
which will last from 1 minute to 3 days. Temperature is pleasant, around 18 to 28 0C. It is
often sunny, but sunscreen is only needed if you walk down the exposed road (else the
forest provides enough shade).
The Station
Pitilla is a large hacienda-style wooden station (30m x 100m) which consists of the
following:
-two dorm rooms, each with 5 bunk beds, one washroom with flush toilet and cold
(stream) water shower.
-kitchen with a propane stove, sink and food storage cupboard.
-open work areas.
-living quarters for the park staff (currently one ranger).
-stable
-wide verandah around entire station for working.
There is a small amount of electricity generated by solar panels, enough to power a
lightbulb in the kitchen and each dorm room each evening, and to recharge the cell phone
and the course laptop. Do not bring electric gadgets, as there will not be enough power to
charge/use them. There is not hot water in the station. Water is piped in from a nearby
stream, and is boiled before drinking. Before we started boiling the water, we had a case
of amoebic dysentry, possibly from stagnant stream water.
What to bring
Pack light! You will be backpacking 10 km (2-2.5 hours) into the station, and then
back out again two weeks later.
1. Essential safety items. You will be turned back at the airport if you do not have
the following.
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Rubber boots (comfortable, high, good grip soles)
Flashlight with many batteries (the stronger, the better, for night walks; if
bringing Petzel, bring halogen bulb for nightwalks, regular bulb for station)
Backpack in which everything is or can be packed (including your daypack).
2. Other essential items
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Water bottle
Rain cape (better than rainjackets/pants in the tropics)
Knapsack for day use
Lightweight clothing (long pants, short sleeve shirts, T shirts: QuickDry is ideal
but costly)
One or two warm items (eg. fleecy and long sleeve shirt)
Sandals or flipflops for the station (no boots allowed in station)
Thick socks for rubber boots (to avoid chafing)
Sunscreen for the hike in/out.
3. Recommended:
 Binoculars (although there are class pairs of variable quality)
 Hiking boots for town/road use
 Camera and film and camera batteries (preferrably in a watertight box/bag with
silicon packets, because of humidity)
 Spanish dictionary/phrasebook.
 Pocketknife
 Insect repellent (pack in watertight bag!)
4. What not to bring:
 Sheets, blankets, towels, sleeping mat, pillow (all provided by station).
 Clothes that you mind getting mouldy.
 Sunglasses, swimsuits (unless you’re traveling after!).
 Goretex jackets, etc (too hot!)
 Shorts (bare legs are too vulnerable in the rainforest)
5. What will be supplied:
 First aid kits, compasses, snake venom extractors, trail maps, butane lanterns,
candles, safety whistles, limited number of binoculars
Food
We will have our meals cooked by Doña Olga, who is a fabulously good cook.
Vegetarian and carnivore options will be provided. It is the responsibility of any students
with food allergies to inform the course instructor at least 2 weeks in advance of the
course, as it will affect the food that Doña Olga buys prior to our arrival. Students will
take turns washing up and sweeping.
Station administration.
We use the station thanks to the Costa Rican park system. The station manager (currently
Guti) is in charge of the station, and should be consulted about any use of non-UBC
equipment or space. He is responsible for maintaining the station, as well as extensive
duties patrolling and maintaining the park area. The horses/mules are only for park ranger
use.
Telephone
We have a cell phone for outgoing calls (no account for incoming calls). Phonecalls are
made using phone cards which, time permitting, can be purchased in San Jose in units of
$10 US (25 minute phonecall to Canada).
Safety
Costa Rica has a large number of venomous snakes, about 2 dozen species, most of
which are easily identifiable because of their triangular head. This is the most dangerous
aspect of doing fieldwork in Costa Rica.
The best way to avoid snakebite is to watch where you walk. Also don’t grab branches,
tree trunks without looking. Biologists are virtually never bitten in Costa Rica because of
such vigilance measures. Try to respect the potential danger of snakes without letting fear
ruin your experience of the forest.
You will be provided with a venom extractor to be carried at all times when off the
station. The extractor can reduce by 50% the amount of venom in a bite. You have 3
minutes after a snakebite to apply the extractor, so keep it accessible in the field, and in a
central location in the station. In the case of a snakebite, the most important thing to do is
to reduce blood flow from the bite to the heart. Apply the venom extractor, then relax. Sit
down, keeping the bitten limb BELOW the heart. Whistle for help. Do not move about
unnecessarily, and NEVER RUN. Do not apply a tourniquet, do not suck on the bite. If
someone else is bitten, carry them or help them to the station, minimizing their exertion.
Ask the park ranger or one of your instructors to radio/phone Santa Rosa for help. Collect
the injured person’s insurance documents and passport. The injured person will be
transported to Santa Cecilia on the ATV.
The ATV can get 2 people to town in under 25 minutes in an emergency. We also have a
cell phone to contact park headquarters and park personnel in Santa Cecilia, plus access
to the station CB radio. Taxis are available in Santa Cecilia to get to the main hospital in
Liberia (50 minute trip). How long do you have after the most poisonous snakebite? At
least 4 hours before tissue damage occurs. You will be provided with extensive medical
insurance. It is important that insurance documents and passports are kept centrally, by
your instructor, so that they can be accessed quickly.
Apart from poisonous snakes, there are few dangers at the station. Scorpion bites are
painful but their effects last only a few hours: check your boots before putting them on.
Killer bees have never been seen at the station, although they are in the surrounding
area...submerging yourself in water is the best strategy in the unlikely event of an attack.
Still you want to be a bit careful about drumming on hollow logs without looking inside
first. Jaguars do not go after adults; feel privileged to be in their country.
There is a chalkboard in the center of the station. If you leave the station, write where you
have gone, and when you will be back. Always take a trail map, a flashlight and a first
aid kit if you go hiking, no matter what time of day or for what length of hike. Avoid
going into the forest alone.
It is very important that you tell me of any pre-existing medical conditions, including
psychological syndromes, food and drug allergies, chronic conditions. If you take
prescription drugs, I need to know what they are and where you keep them in case a
situation arises where you need to but are not able to communicate this information. This
information will be kept confidential.
Hiking opportunities
The station is surrounded by a well-maintained network of hiking trails. Most trails pass
through streams only passable in rubber boots. You will be wearing rubber boots all the
time off the station anyways, because of the snake danger. Trails can be slippery with
mud, be careful. Trails take you into primary forest, cloud forest, and secondary forest. It
is a stiff 2 hour walk into town. Birding opportunities are everywhere, and we often see
agoutis, coatimundi, anteaters, spider monkeys, white-faced capuchin monkeys.
Butterflies, lizards and treefrogs are seen all the time.
Useful reading:
The Green Phoenix (History of the ACG and conservation)
Teach Yourself Spanish (or equivalent)
Copies of almost all the natural history guides are kept at the station.