Wildlife finder
Which animal are you hoping to see?
Where each species lives, when it is most active, and how likely you are to see it. Nobody can guarantee a sighting — anyone who does is selling you something.
Mammals · Frequently seen with a guide
Brown-throated three-toed sloth
The smiling one. Diurnal, so it's the sloth you're most likely to actually see.
Mammals · Frequently seen with a guide
Hoffmann's two-toed sloth
Bigger, shaggier and mostly nocturnal — usually spotted asleep in a tangle.
Birds · Often seen
Scarlet macaw
Loud, unmistakable, and recovering thanks to decades of conservation work.
Birds · Uncommon
Resplendent quetzal
The bird people plan whole trips around. Highland cloud forest only.
Birds · Often seen
Keel-billed & chestnut-mandibled toucans
Two large toucan species plus smaller toucanets, spread across the lowlands.
Mammals · Often seen
White-faced capuchin
Clever, bold, and the most likely monkey to try to steal your lunch.
Mammals · Often seen
Mantled howler monkey
You will hear one before you ever see one. Usually around 5 a.m.
Mammals · Uncommon
Geoffroy's spider monkey
The acrobat of the canopy, and a good indicator of intact forest.
Mammals · Frequently seen with a guide
Central American squirrel monkey
Small, fast, endangered, and found only along the southern Pacific.
Marine · Frequently seen with a guide
Sea turtles
Five species nest in Costa Rica, on both coasts, in different seasons.
Marine · Frequently seen with a guide
Humpback whale
Costa Rica gets humpbacks from both hemispheres, giving two seasons.
Marine · Often seen
Bottlenose & spotted dolphins
Resident groups in Golfo Dulce and along the Central Pacific.
Reptiles & Amphibians · Often seen
American crocodile
The Tárcoles river bridge is the country's most reliable viewing spot.
Mammals · Often seen
White-nosed coati
Raccoon relative with a ringed tail, often begging beside roads.
Mammals · Rare
Baird's tapir
Costa Rica's largest land mammal, and Corcovado's headline sighting.
Reptiles & Amphibians · Frequently seen with a guide
Poison dart frogs
Tiny, brilliantly coloured, and easiest to find in wet leaf litter.
Reptiles & Amphibians · Frequently seen with a guide
Red-eyed tree frog
The poster animal of Costa Rica. Nocturnal, so book a night walk.