Founded in the 1950s by a group of Quakers from the U.S.A., Monteverde has gained international renown as one of the most outstanding wildlife sanctuaries in the tropics. The reserve covers an area of 10,500 hectares of land and maintains six different life zones. The climate and the terrain of the reservation produce an incredible bio-diversity. There are at least 400 species of birds in the highest part of the rain forest, which includes the resplendent Quetzal, formerly the sacred bird of the Mayans, more than 100 species of mammals, 120 species of amphibians and reptiles and approximately 2,500 species of plants, which make Monteverde a true paradise for bird lovers. The reserve has wet and dry seasons, although the higher parts have fog and it rains a lot during the year.