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Wildlife
Turtle tours-Guided turtle tours are a fun and environmentally-sound way to observe these gentle giants as they come ashore to lay their eggs. Five species and one sub-species of sea turtle nest on both the Caribbean and Pacific Coasts, where park rangers and turtle conservation organizations strive to protect and monitor their populations. Visitors can arrange evening turtle tours with a licensed guide or park ranger. Note that cameras, video or flash photography are strictly prohibited on night turtle tours. Turtles are extremely sensitive to ambient light, and rangers and biologists want to keep our impact to a minimum.
Other wildlife- Nature lovers from around the world come to Costa Rica for the sole purpose of wildlife viewing. Although Costa Rica represents only .03% of the planet's surface, it is one of the most biologically diverse places in the world and has more than 4% of the total species found on earth. Roseate spoonbills, toucans, kingfishers, motmots, scarlet macaws, frigate birds, boobies, ibises, quetzals, sparrows, warblers, herons, hawks, kites and stilts: the list goes on and on. The bird population here is notable with more than 900 recorded species. Even in the cities, parrots squawk raucously overhead while the clay-colored robin, the national bird of Costa Rica, sings its sweet song in the tree tops. Visitors to Turu Ba Ri Tropical Park in Turrubares (an hour and a half from San Jose) can glimpse over 150 bird species in the park's 600 acres of winding trails and botanical gardens. Turu Ba Ri also features an iguana farm and a crocodile pond, where 9-foot giants bask in the sun.
Four species of monkeys, including one sub-species endemic to Costa Rica's Manuel Antonio National Park, two species of sloths, 103 species of bats, six species of cats, three species of anteaters, and at least 82 other species of mammals inhabit Costa Rica. Many of these species are endangered and hide themselves deep within the vast protected areas of parks, reserves and refuges. Corcovado National Park is one of these treasured places, among many other parks, refuges and preserves.
Monkeys- The capuchin monkey (Cebus capucinus) is commonly seen throughout Costa Rica. Also called white-faced monkeys, these small primates are widely recognized as the most intelligent New World monkey.
They are native to Central and South America and are frequently spotted in many of Costa Rica's national parks. Capuchins have small, slender bodies covered in brown or black fur. Their faces, necks and chests are typically a white or cream color, earning them the name mono cara blanca in Spanish, or white-faced monkey.
