Costa Rica's immense biodiversity database can now be found online.

The Environment, Energy and Telecommunications Ministry (MINAET) inaugurated the Costa Rican Biodiversity Information System on Tuesday, a Web site that contains information about the country's diverse ecosystems and the conservation practices designed to protect them.

The Web site http://crbio.cr includes directories of flora and fauna, animal species, and protected areas. Site visitors can also read, in Spanish, national legislation and laws that have been established to guard Costa Rica's green spaces and biodiversity.

“Today, making use of new technologies, Costa Ricans will be able to access databases about ecosystems, species, maps, research projects and many other topics through any computer,” said Environment Minister Jorge Rodríguez.

Costa Rica's National Museum, the National Biodiversity Institute and the Tropical Studies Organization also contributed to the creation of the new site.