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Costa Rica is one the 7  small countries (Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama) that together comprise the isthmus of Central America.  Along with the Caribbean and the Pacific, the country’s borders are defined by Nicaragua to the North and Panama to the South. Located at the nexus of two continents and two oceans, this confluence of land and water makes the region one of mother nature’s great bottlenecks. Here, geography constricts a breathtaking amount of plant and animal life within a modest 19,563 square miles (50,900 sq. km), an area comparable in size to Denmark or West Virginia. Within this diminutive nation is found an astonishing five percent of the world’s biodiversity, including more than 800 species of ferns, 1,000 of orchids, 2,000 kinds of trees, and 200 species of mammals.

Both coastlines of Costa Rica have an abundance of beaches, though the Pacific strands are generally both less developed and less spacious. Between the coasts, the interior of the country is shaped by four cordilleras, or mountain ranges, which run from North to South. The capital, San Jose, rests roughly in the nation’s center, settled within a highland valley. Cascading down to the Caribbean from the central mountains are Costa Rica’s many great rivers, including the Reventazon. The Pacific side is marked by two broad peninsulas that hook out into the Pacific, the Nicoya and the Osa. It is a geographic curiosity that their shapes are almost identical, the Osa being a smaller rendition of the Nicoya.

Costa Rica’s climate is renowned as an atmospheric treat. Mild subtropical conditions prevail year-round, and discomforting temperature extremes and prolonged periods of gray are practically nonexistent. Temperature varies mainly according to elevation, the higher the cooler. The brunt of the rainy season lasts from May through November, while a brief dry spell pays a visit from February to April. Costa Rica’s rain falls mainly on the Caribbean coast, giving the Pacific a much more arid climate.

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Known as the ‘Crocodile Man’, Costa Rican animal lover ‘Chito’ swims, plays and even feeds ‘Pocho’ the giant crocodile in what is one of the world’s most unlikely friendships.

Wading chest-deep through the green water in a 100 sq/m lake in Siquirres, this bizarre and dangerous spectacle draws tourists from around the world.

Calling quietly for his five metre long ‘companion’ before thrashing around, lifting his tail and head above the water.
Unlikely friendship: Chito rests on top of buddy Pocho, who he rescued after the crocodile was shot in the eye

Unlikely friendship: Chito rests on top of buddy Pocho, who he rescued after the crocodile was shot in the eye

‘This is a very dangerous routine but Pocho is my friend and we have a good relationship,’ says 52-year-old Chito. ‘He will look me in the eye and he does not attack me.

‘It is too dangerous for anyone else to come in the water. It is only ever the two of us.’

The bizarre friendship began nearly 20 years ago when Chito rescued the 980-pound crocodile after finding him close to death on the shore of the Parismina River, in the Caribbean province of Limsn.
Crazy: Chito plays with Pocho the crocodile, who seems to enjoy the attention

Crazy: Chito plays with Pocho the crocodile, who seems to enjoy the attention

Shot in the left eye by a cattle farmer after preying on a herd of cows, Chito enlisted the help of several friends to load the massive reptile into his boat, Naming him ‘Pocho’ (meaning strength), the fisherman says he healed the reptile with medicine, food, and, more importantly, lots of care and attention.

‘When I found him in the river after he was dying so I put him in my boat and I brought him into my house,’ recalls Chito.

‘He was very skinny, weighing only around 150 pounds, so I gave him chicken and fish and medicine for six months to help him recover.’
Rolling around: Chito says that if anyone else entered the water it would be deadly

Rolling around: Chito says that if anyone else entered the water it would be deadly

During the recovery process, Chito stayed by Pocho’s side, even sleeping with him at night.

‘I just wanted him to feel that someone loved him, that not all humans are bad,’ Chito says. ‘I love all animals, especially ones that have suffered. It meant a lot of sacrifice. I had to be there every day.’

After Chito felt that Pocho had bonded with him, he started to get closer and closer to the animal.
Tourist attraction: It took Chito many years to build his relationship with Pocho to this level

Tourist attraction: It took Chito many years to build his relationship with Pocho to this level

‘After 10 years I started to work with him,’ he says. ‘At first it was slow, slow and I started to play with him a little, touching him a little bit and then slowly doing more. Then I found that when I called his name he would come over to me.’

Today tourists travel from all over the world to see the unusual spectacle.

‘I am happy because I rescued him and he is happy with me because he has everything he needs,” says Chito.

chito, crocodile