Costa Rica Wildlife Holidays

Primates, Sloths, Caimans, Jaguars and more; Costa Rica offers an Inspiring Mix of Wildlife and a Huge Range of Habitats which they call home...

Costa Rica is one of the finest countries in Central America for wildlife viewing, with exceptional diversity and a huge range of habitats all squeezed into a relatively small space. Being one of the main attractions to Costa Rica, huge emphasis is placed on its preservation, helping to ensure it is as rich today as was before and will stay in the future. You will find nearly 250 mammal species here, including 4 primates; the White Headed Capuchin, Mantled Howlers, the Central American Squirrel Monkey and Geoffroy’s Spider Monkey.

The Central American Squirrel Monkey is found in the Pacific wet lowlands of Costa Rica, primarily in Manuel Antonio and Corcovado National Parks, as well as in Panama near the border where the two countries meet. At a maximum size of just 1kg, these small creatures (the smallest primates in Costa Rica) feed on fruit and insects, living as egalitarians in large groups of between 40 and 70. Differing to the more green colourings of their South American friends, they are primarily orange and have olive shoulders and white faces. Mainly found in the trees, their feet barely touch the ground throughout their relatively short live span of about 14 years.

White Headed Capuchins, found in Manuel Antonio, Corcovado & Santa Rosa National Parks, stay true to their names with white fur surrounding their pinkish faces spreading down to their shoulders. Their bodies are black and they have a curly tail to cling onto trees as they obtain food, of which they are not too fussy. Mainly feasting on insects and fruit they scour all levels of the forest from the tops of the trees down to the ground and are important in spreading seeds and pollen helping with the ecology of the rainforest. These intellectual creatures have been trained to assist paraplegic people and have been seen in the wild using ‘tools’. Growing up to about 3.8kg they are a medium sized primate and live comfortably due to being able to survive in a wide range of habitats, known to live up to 54 years of age.

Mantled Howlers (also known as Golden Mantled Howling Monkeys) are probably the most likely primate to be seen and heard throughout the jungles of Costa Rica, popular in Manuel Antonio, Corcovado and Montverde. Due to an enlarged hyoid bone, their calls to each other through the jungle are amplified; a very useful tool when you survive mainly on a diet of leaves making you lethargic, this way you don’t have to waste energy on looking for your friends! These are some of the largest primates in Central America and males can get up to about 9.8kg, females are smaller. Their entire bodies are covered in black fur and on their sides you will find golden guard hairs – hence the name…

Geoffroy’s Spider Monkey is also rather large, growing to a weight of up to 9kg on a diet made up mainly of fresh and ripe fruit. They spend most of their time in the trees with perfectly adapted bodies that allow them to swing freely and forage. Tails are significantly longer than the length of their bodies and, as they can support their entire weight, are used as an extra limb aiding them with movement, fruit picking and even scooping water from trees with the pad on the end. Colours vary depending on sub-species, usually between a rusty red, brown ad black. A pale mask around the eyes and muzzle is generic and they have long slim arms and legs (arms much longer than the legs), as well as dark/black feet and hands – which are hook like to help them forage and swing through the trees.

Other tree dwelling residents include slow-moving sloths, white nosed coati and a huge variety of bats, as well as anteaters and tayra – similar in appearance to weasels. You may also see the elusive jaguar, which now almost only frequents forests of protected reserves such as Tortuguero, Santa Rosa, Corcovado and Monteverde.

There are about 225 species of reptile, which includes over 70 lizard species and 120 snake (20 venomous). However when it comes to reptiles, we can’t not mention that if you come to Tortuguero National Park between July and October, you will coincide with nesting season for the Endangered Green Sea Turtle, and during guided walks at night you can get pretty close to these magnificent creatures. Giant leatherback, hawksbill and loggerhead turtles also use Tortuguero’s coast as a nesting ground, as well as other spots along the coast. There are also 2 types of crocodilian here, the beady eyed Spectacled Caiman and American Crocodile.

85 % of amphibians here are frogs and you are likely to see a variety of sizes, shapes and colours bounding about the jungles. Costa Rica is also a fantastic place for birding, with about 894 species currently recorded, of which over 600 are resident. With such a high count it is no surprise that you need not head into the jungle to see them, Birding in such places as the Monteverde Cloud Forest, Central Valley and the Highlands can be just as rewarding as, say, the Osa Peninsula…