This expedition used a Avon Redshank and Rudy mostly kayaked in a Holloform. The trip was divided into the "Upper and "Lower" sections starting at a bridge crossing and took 5 days to reach the narrow gauge railroad where they flagged a train back to San Jose. In 1978 Kaye started Costa Rica Expeditions to run commercial trips in Costa Rica and started running commercial trips on the Pacuare river in winter 1981/82. Between 1980(?) and 1983 Rafael Gallo, a previous employee of Kaye at Costa Rica Expeditions, gathered four rafts and started the company Rios Tropicales. Aventuras Naturales joined the list of commercial rafting companies on the Pacuare River in the mid-1980s. 1986 saw Tico's River Adventures started in Turrialba, the closest city to the Pacuare River. In 1998 the nearby Reventazon River was dammed pushing more people and the local rafting companies to shift focus to primarily the Pacuare River. Large cats have been spotted near the river but as always these animals are elusive. A black panther was spotted approximately from the river in 1986. Jaguars have been spotted near the Haucas River Gorge. Anteaters are common as well as raccoons, river otters, iguanas, capuchin monkeys, and sloths. Howler monkeys are found on the lower sections after the Dos Montanas canyon. There are five common snakes found in the area. The venomous ones include the coral snake, the bushmaster and fer-de-lance. The laura and sopy lota (long black snake that eats venomous snakes) are also common in the area. The blue morpho is the most popular butterfly of the area. The chestnut-mandibled toucan is most commonly seen when it is raining or foggy on the river. Parakeets can sometimes be seen after the Dos Montanas canyon. Other common birds of the area are the orependula (oriel), king fisher, tiger and blue heron, hawks, osprey, king vulture, sunbittern and snowy egret. Most of the river corridor is first generation rain forest and has never been touched. Common trees of the area include the sabe tree, the national tree of Guatemala, as well as the red Indio desnudo (naked Indian tree). After Dos Montanas, the heart of palm, coconut palm and banana trees become very prominent.