Photos by Greivin Araya Few birds in Costa Rica create the same sense of wonder as the Long-tailed Manakin. Small in size but overflowing with personality, this remarkable bird is known for its dazzling colours, astonishing dance routines, and unusual teamwork during...
[uxgallery id="1"] When the wild mountain avocados ripen in San Gerardo de Dota, the forest seems to change character. The cool air sharpens, the cloud forest glows a little greener, and birders begin to say the same thing with a mix of hope and excitement: it’s...
The jaguar is not just another wild cat in Costa Rica. It is the largest feline in the country, the biggest cat in the Americas, and the third-largest cat species on Earth after the tiger and lion. Built like a living engine of muscle and silence, the jaguar carries...
The nine-banded armadillo is one of those animals that looks as though nature had a sense of humour and a practical engineering streak at the same time. Covered in tough, flexible armour and built low to the ground with a long snout and sharp digging claws, it is a...
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Dirty, gross, awful… a few words commonly associated with vultures, but in reality anything but the truth. Vultures are an essential part of the ecosystem. They provide a vital service by cleaning up what would otherwise become a...
Fun Facts About Our Official Mascot Sloths have become Costa Rica’s unofficial national mascot, emblematic of the pura vida lifestyle. They are just so darn cuddly! Here are a few obscure sloth facts you may not have already...
If you’ve spent any time on a Costa Rican highway, beach road, or farm track, you’ve seen them—big dark shapes riding invisible elevators of warm air, barely flapping, as if the rules of effort don’t apply. Then you spot the truly iconic moment: one perched on a fence...
There’s a moment that happens in Costa Rica’s forests when the light turns leafy-green and quiet, and a bird appears like it’s been painted with a highlighter and a steady hand. A motmot doesn’t rush the reveal. It simply is—perched, still, almost smug—until the tail...
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] American Costa Rica Crocodile: Visitors in Costa Rica can view the American crocodile at one of several prime spots, about 50 miles (85 km) west of San José, on the Tarcoles River. Here, they can be seen in abundance from the...
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Costa Rica creature feature oncilla: Oncilla, often referred to as the little spotted cat, or in Costa Rica as the tigrillo. This Costa Rica cat is the smallest species of wildcat in this country. Living in the mountain forests at...
Protecting One Species at a Time. The theme of Earth Day 2019 is “Protect our Species.” With over 500,000 wildlife species in Costa Rica, it is vital to keep the biodiversity alive and thriving in this Central American isthmus. Thanks to the preservation efforts of...
[vc_row full_width="full_width"][vc_column][vc_column_text] Howler Monkeys in Costa Rica: The Jungle Alarm Clock You’ll Never Forget Costa Rica’s howler monkeys are the loud, leafy neighbours you hear long before you ever see them. These tree-dwelling primates are...