Top 5 Wildlife Locations in Costa Rica

With 5% of the world’s biodiversity found in Costa Rica, it is a wildlife lovers dream destination. Travel writer, photographer and zoologist, William Gray picks five of his top wildlife destinations in Costa Rica…

Corcovado National Park

For a country rich in wildlife (a quarter of Costa Rica is protected as national parks and reserves), Corcovado boasts extraordinary biodiversity. Its rain-drenched tropical lowland forest is a glorious tangle of some 500 tree species, while the animal inventory stands at 104 mammals, 370 birds and 117 amphibians and reptiles. All four species of Costa Rica’s monkeys are found here – spider monkey, squirrel monkey, mantled howler and white-faced capuchin – while the notoriously shy Baird’s tapir is often spotted near the Sirena Biological Station. Follow trails along the rainforest-fringed beaches for great views of capuchins, coaties and peccaries or delve into the jungle for fabulous birdwatching (Corcovado has Central America’s largest population of scarlet macaws).

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

No less than 30 species of hummingbirds flit through the moss-drizzled cloud forest of Monteverde, but it’s the resplendent quetzal (best seen between January and July) that most dedicated birders want to see. Non-feathered highlights in the reserve include an astonishing 420-plus varieties of orchid and, if you are extremely lucky, you may also glimpse a Baird’s tapir or one of Monteverde’s five species of cats. The network of trails in the park is well maintained, but come prepared for fog or rain.

Tortuguero National Park

Canals and coastal lagoons provide the main access to this exotic mix of flooded forest and Caribbean coast. Slipping quietly along water channels and nosing about in mangroves, a kayaking or boat trip offers the best chance for spotting wildlife such as howler and spider monkey, white-faced capuchin and three-toed sloth. Don’t forget to occasionally glance down from the trees – Tortuguero is a good place to see southern river otter, spectacled caiman and basilisk lizards, along with wading birds, such as herons and jacanas. It’s the beach, however, that’s the real wildlife crowd-puller. A major nesting site for hawksbill, leatherback, loggerhead and green turtles, the park’s beaches are one of the best places in the world to see the marine reptiles hauling themselves ashore to lay eggs.

Las Baulas National Marine Park

A nesting site for leatherback turtles (October to April), Las Baulas offers night time, ranger-led tours to witness the spectacle of these marine heavyweights (weighing up to 900 kg) dragging themselves up the beach to dig pits in which to lay their eggs. When visiting, take care not to use flashlights which can disorientate the turtles, and avoid walking above the high-tide mark where concealed clutches of eggs are easily damaged. Adjacent to the marine park, Tamarindo National Wildlife Refuge protects mangroves, home to frigatebirds, monkeys and crocodiles.

Braulio Carrillo National Park

This huge swathe of virgin rainforest and cloud forest is easy to reach from San José, but take time to explore its hiking trails and you’ll see toucans, toucanets, trogons, tanagers, hummingbirds and some of the other 500-plus species of birds recorded here. Mammals include tapirs, monkeys and jaguar. Don’t miss the aerial tram – an open gondola ride through the treetops.

Three more not to miss…

Manuel Antonio National Park

An easily accessible strip of rainforest and unspoilt golden-sand beaches, Manuel Antonio is a popular park with a good network of beaches. The chic ecolodge Arenas del Mar makes a good base.

Cahuita National Park

Elkhorn and staghorn corals festoon the reefs of Cahuita, while a rare swamp forest along the coast is a good spot to look out for boat-billed herons, kingfishers, coatis, racoons and sloths.

Guanacaste National Park

Linked to Santa Rosa National Park, Guanacaste provides a wildlife corridor for wide-ranging species like the jaguar, as well as birds and insects that migrate seasonally between the coastal dry forest and inland cloud forest.

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