Wanderlust Travel Magazine (UK)
NATURE & WILDLIFE
1 Go wild in the jungle
The undeniable star of Costa Rica’s jungles are sloths. They may be slow moving, but that doesn’t make them any easier to see. These smiling creatures live all over Costa Rica, one of the few countries that have both the two- and three-toed species. Other cute, common mammals you’re likely to see in the jungles of Costa Rica are tapir, peccary and coati – a racoon-like animal the size of a large cat. They’re most often spotted around Arenal and Monteverde.
Look out for iguana in the Osa Peninsula, Arenal Volcano and Tortuguero National Park and don’t miss Jesus Christ lizards walking on water at Cahuita National Park. Bigger reptiles can be seen in the jungle rivers, swamps and lagoons, which you can tour to uncover crocodiles and caimans.
Head to Corcovado to spot ocelots and margay cats. If you hire a guide – and if you get lucky – you might spot a jaguar in Corcovado in the biodiverse Osa Peninsula. While there’s only thought to be around 30 of these cats left in this area, Osa boasts 2.5% of the entire planet’s biodiversity.
2 Monkey business
The first time you’re woken by the booming roars and shouts
of howler monkeys is when you really know you’re in jungle territory. Staying in eco-lodges or family run accommodation on the edge of the parks is the best way to immerse yourself. Once there, you can explore with guides, wildlife-spotting by boat in Tortuguero on the east, for example, or by foot in Manuel Antonio Park on the west.
Alongside howler monkeys, you’re also likely to see capuchin, squirrel and spider: tick all four species off in Corcovado NP. Watching them swing through the trees, sometimes with a baby clinging on, is mesmerising.
3 Turtle nesting
You won’t be the only one enjoying Costa Rica’s pristine beaches – a well-timed visit will see you enjoy watching turtles digging, laying and burying their eggs on the beach. It’s always best to see them with an official guide to ensure you don’t scare them.
Four turtle species can be found in Costa Rica. Leatherbacks are the largest and they love eating jellyfish. See them nesting between March and July on the Caribbean coast and between September and March on the Pacific coast. Green turtles are the species’ only herbivores; they nest between June and October in Tortuguero NP. Olive ridleys are the most abundant and they nest all year round on the Pacific Coast. To see endangered hawksbill, head to Cahuita NP (Sept to Oct). Visitors to Ostional beach between August and November could see up to 300,000 sea turtles arriving.
4 A birder’s paradise
Bird watchers dream of seeing the vibrant year-round birdlife of Costa Rica. There are more bird species here than anywhere else in the world – more than 900. Visit in dry season (Jan-apr) and you’ll see herons, ducks and spoonbills around water and scarlet macaws in Manuel Antonio, Corcovado, Carara and Palo Verde National Parks. Hummingbirds breed November to March, so listen out for their calls around Arenal and in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. You can see toucans there too, as well as in Manuel Antonio, Corcovado and Tortuguero national parks.
Sunbitterns can be seen in La Marta Wildlife Refuge close to Tapanti NP. Intrepid twitchers should also look out for fasciated tiger-heron, black-and-yellow tanager and russet antshrike. The most exotic bird has to be the resplendent quetzal: small with iridescent green-and-red colouring and long tail feathers, they can be found in the Monteverde Cloud Forest and Los Quetzales NP (Feb to May).
5 Under the sea
Be sure to explore off land, too. You can see migratory humpback whales almost all year round at Marino Ballena NP; they have two seasons – from mid-july to mid-nov and mid-dec to April. You’ll likely spot dolphins, too as Costa Rica’s waters are teeming with them. The Pacific coast is home to bottlenose, Risso’s, rough-toothed, spinner and striped dolphins while on the Caribbean side you can find costero and bottlenose dolphins.
Those prepared to go deeper should dive during the dry season, when the water is at its clearest. Huge manta rays can be seen off the Catalina Islands (Dec to May) while Drake Bay’s Cano Island hides an underwater world of bright corals, eels, reef sharks and sting rays. Beginners can test their skills at Manuel Antonio NP where turtles, octopus, lobsters and whitetip sharks await.