(Monteverde, Costa Rica)

Due to my shoulder injury, there was no way I could commit to the intense 13-stage zipline circuit around the Monteverde Cloud Forest.  As a consolation prize, I decided to do the “Hanging Bridges” circuit where you covered more or less the same territory by foot.  Instead of 13 ziplines, there were 8 suspension bridges high above the cloud forest floor.

After having seen very little wildlife in the cloud forest earlier in the day from ground level (see my previous post), I was hoping that I would see something interesting from the top of the cloud forest canopy.

Due to the extremely rainy weather, the facility was almost deserted.  I saw one ziplining couple but didn’t see anybody at all on the hanging bridges circuit.   That was fine – I would have the bridges all to myself and there would be little noise to scare away the residents of the canopy.  If anything was “out there”, I would be in a perfect position to record it.  The swaying of the bridges would also be kept to a minimum.

The first three bridges were relatively uneventful.  I saw some interesting plant life on the trails between bridges but no animal life whatsoever.  I will admit to feeling a little discouraged by this point:  would I see anything at all from the bridges, besides an incredibly dense network of green stretching off in each direction?

I noticed that the fourth bridge was the longest one and that it seemed to cross a deeper valley than the others.  It also swayed a lot so I tried not to step too far from the middle.  I was quietly hoping to see at least a tiny creature when I suddenly stopped in my tracks.  To my left, about 20 feet from my position on the bridge, was a large black animal sitting on top of the canopy.  It was a howler monkey!

Not only was it a howler monkey, but it was looking more or less right at me and not making any attempt to move or disappear.  What was it thinking?  Why was it hanging out with me at the top of the forest?  After steadying myself and taking some quick pictures to record the sighting, I wondered what the howler monkey would do next.

It didn’t appear to be threatened by me, as it kept quiet even though some of its brethren were howling in the distance.  As I looked around, I realized that it would be possible for the monkey to traverse the canopy and climb one of the trees that grew higher than the bridge.  In theory, at least, the monkey could then jump on the bridge and confront me right then and there.

I tried in vain to recall what a howler monkey might do when confronting a human.  Alas, all I knew was that they howled from a distance at unwanted intruders:  I didn’t know what would happen in the event that an intruder was right in front of them.   I didn’t have to sign a disclaimer before going on the bridge circuit but Costa Rica is probably not as litigious as Canada or the U.S.A.  The bottom line: the howler monkey is a large wild animal and its behaviour cannot be predicted.

Fortunately for me, the monkey showed no signs of aggression or impatience.  In fact, it appeared to be a little bored.  It watched as another howler monkey (with a baby on its back) crossed the canopy underneath the bridge and took off into the distance.   I continued taking photos, amazed at the fact that this distant cousin of humans seemed content to just hang around with me nearby.

I eventually grew bolder and started talking to the monkey.  There was no response to my English, so I tried a few Spanish words and phrases.  Still no response.  Finally, after what seemed like an eternity (but was probably closer to 10 minutes), the howler monkey decided that visiting hours were over.  It turned and made its way in the same general direction of the other monkeys.

This monkey encounter may well have been the highlight of my trip to Costa Rica.  I was utterly alone, suspended 40 metres above the forest floor, with an intelligent, unpredictable, non-captive and non-human primate.  How often does that happen?   The exhilaration and intensity of this meeting will stay with me forever.  I think I will seek out some more wildlife experiences in my future travels!