Located in the Caribbean foothills of Costa Rica, La Selva has been an educational, research, and conservation site since 1953. The site is 1614 hectares and has over 1850 species of plants. Birds are a magnificent site in the area with La Selva housing over 448 species. Each year hundreds of scientists visit the site to gain insight into the tropical ecology. La Selva is home to five cat species and over 70 species of bat. Visitors are invited to enjoy the guided nature walks that take place on a 57 kilometre stretch of well-maintained walking trails.