Known as the world's most environmentally friendly country, the reserves and national parks of Costa Rica are a must-see for wildlife enthusiasts. These areas provide habitat to numerous unique and colourful bird, animal, plant and insect species.
Below are some of the best wildlife spotting locations in Costa Rica. You will visit all of these spectacular locations on the Coates Wildlife Tours
Costa Rica Safari.
Caño Negro
The
Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge is 25,100 acres and is part of the Arenal Huetar Norte Conservation Area. The refuge includes wetlands that host record numbers of migratory waterfowl species including storks, spoonbills, ibis, anhingas, ducks and cormorants. The forests, grasslands and marshes in the area are home to a variety of endangered species including jaguars, cougars, tapirs, ocelots, peccary and several monkey species including the
White-headed Capuchin and
Mantled Howler.
Carara National Park
Established in 1978 as a biological reserve,
Carara National Park is now one of Costa Rica's most popular parks. One of the country's largest wild
Scarlet Macaw populations is protected by the park.
Much of the park is rainforest and home to over 400 bird species, making it a particularly significant destination for birdwatchers. Brightly coloured bird species found within the park include the
Orange-chinned Parakeet,
Roseate Spoonbill,
Baird's Trogon and
Orange-collared,
Blue-crowned,
Long-tailed and
Red-capped Manakins.
La Anita Rainforest Ranch
La Anita Rainforest Ranch is a truly special place to stay. The lodge is nestled in a small valley between the Miravalles, Rincon de la Vieja, and Santa Maria Volcanoes. The ranch is also surrounded by lush rainforest, which is home to more wildlife species than can be found in the United States and Canada combined!
In the heart of the rainforest locals grow and harvest macadamia nuts, cacao (chocolate), heart of palm, taro, cardamom, organic tropical fruits and vegetables, medicinal herbs, and thousands of tropical flowers.
La Ensenada National Wildlife Refuge
La Ensenada Wildlife Refuge was created in 1998 to protect the mangroves and wetlands at the mouth of the Abangares River. The 800 acre reserve is implementing a reforestation program to reverse the degradation caused by years of cattle farming.
Currently, more than 30% of the farm is now covered by forest and more than 140 bird species have been identified. For more information about the reserve's wildlife, download the bird list or tree list.
La Selva Biological Station
La Selva Bilogical Station is an important scientific research station in Costa Rica's lowlands. La Selva includes a nature reserve that protects approximately 15 square km of primary tropical rainforest. The reserve, run by the Organization of Tropical Studies, adjoins
Braulio Carrillo National Park making it a northern extension of the
Central Volcanic Conservation Area.
More than 420 bird species have been recorded in the reserve. The reserve is also home to more than than 500 butterfly species, 120 mammal species and 55 snake species. More than 2000 vascular plants have been identified. In the reserve you may be lucky enough to spot
jaguars,
Collared Peccaries and
Mantled Howlers.
View a
slideshow of some of the wildlife at La Selva.
La Tirimbina Biological Reserve
La Tirimbina's mission is to protect a resource of exceptional biodiversity through environmental education and scientific research which promotes conservation.
The reserve offers a number of walking trails through the rainforest, which include suspension bridges offering canopy views. You can undertake a variety of activities at the reserve, including naturalist-guided bird walks, a guided walk to an old cacao field that explains the development and current practice of chocolate production, and a guided presentation about the reserve's bat capture and release program.
Savegre Lodge
Savegre Lodge offers comfortable accommodation amongst a private nature reserve of almost 400 hectares (988 acres). Part of the reserve is secondary forest regrowth, which has been restored from cattle grazing land.
A network of trails wind around the reserve, all starting and ending at the hotel. They are graded according to their difficulty from 1 (very easy) to 5 (technically challenging) in terms of length and terrain. Sevegre Lodge is a convenient location for early-morning birding walks, allowing you to combine rest and relaxation with your continued exploration of Costa Rica's unique and colourful wildlife.
Selva Verde
Selva Verde Lodge & Rainforest Reserve provides more opportunities to immerse yourself in the rainforests of Costa Rica. In the rainforest surrounding the lodge you can see many wildlife species, including towering Almendro trees,
Mantled Howler Monkeys, and
Keel-billed Toucans. The rainforest here is also one of the last surviving habitats for the resplendent
Great Green Macaw.
Selva Verde is located in the midst of the 500 acre Sarapiqui Rainforest Preservation Area in the lush lowlands of northeastern Costa Rica. Over 300 bird species, 120 species of mammals, 48 amphibian species, 89 reptile species, more than 10,000 species of insects, 330 species of trees and countless plant species have been identified in the rainforest.
Selva Verde is one of the established sites on the
Costa Rican Bird Route. The route consists of twelve birding sites in the Sarapiqui region. The route includes established and newly created biological reserves, to offer a variety of bird watching opportunities and programs in the San Juan – La Selva Biological Corridor of northeastern Costa Rica’s rainforest. The first of its kind in Central America, the Bird Route not only gives visitors access to primary rainforest, but also gives land owners access to tourism income and an alternative income to other activities that are not as environmentally sustainable.
Tarcoles River
The
Tarcoles River is 111 km long and covers a massive area - 2,121 km². Nearly 60% of Costa Rica's total population lives along its basins. The river is significant as it provides a home to a number of species, including the
American crocodile.
Costa Rica Wildlife Safari
Join our Australian Costa Rica specialist, Wayne O’Sullivan, on this extraordinary expedition to some of Costa Rica's most important wildlife locations. Places on this
small-group tour are limited, so click to
learn more or
reserve your place today!
Thoughts? Questions? Please share in the comments.
