Photo: Red-Eyed Tree Frog

Despite its small size, Costa Rica boasts five percent of all known species in the world. The Smithsonian Tropical Resarch Institute studies frogs, turtles, and all species that contribute to the biodiversity of this remarkable slice of the world. STRI started as a small research station in 1923 and encourages its 38 staff scientists to pursue long-term investigations into global biodiversity.

Click here for more wildlife adventure tours.