7 Wild Creatures I Saw in Costa Rica
One thing I quickly learned in Costa Rica: always look up. And down. And honestly, probably inside random coconuts too. Honestly, always have your eyes peeled, because you never know what animal you will see. Costa Rica is obviously known for its wildlife, but I don’t think I fully understood just how much wildlife I would actually see until I was there. I wasn’t going on some week-long wildlife expedition either. These animals just kept appearing throughout the trip. They were hanging above me in trees, sitting on hotel furniture, crawling through the forest and, in one case, hiding inside a coconut. Some of them I expected to see. Others I definitely did not. These are some of the coolest animals I personally spotted during my time in Costa Rica. 1. Mantled Howler Monkey Let’s start with one of the most iconic animals I saw: the mantled howler monkey (Alouatta palliata). If you’ve spent any amount of time near the forests of Costa Rica, there is a pretty good chance you’ve heard these guys before you’ve seen them. They are famous for their ridiculously loud howls, which can carry through the forest and sound way more intimidating than the monkey responsible for making them. I expected a less cute animal to be associated with the noise it made, but I was happily surprised. Mantled howler monkeys live throughout Costa Rica and have long prehensile tails, meaning they can use their tails almost like an extra limb while moving through trees. We were lucky enough to see this one swing out of view. I spotted this one tucked into the branches above me, and it almost disappeared into the shadows despite being completely black. This was also a good reminder that seeing wildlife in Costa Rica sometimes requires patience. You can stare at a tree for five minutes and see absolutely nothing, and then suddenly realize there has been an entire monkey sitting directly above you the whole time. At least it did not try to steal anything from us, because I have encountered some sneaky robbers before. Wildlife spotting tip: If you hear leaves moving above you, stop and actually look for a minute. Costa Rica rewards people who pay attention. 2. Masked Tree Frog This little guy might be one of my favorite photos from the entire trip. I used to have a small squishy frog that looked identical to this one, but mine was fake, and this one was very much real! I believe this is a masked tree frog (Smilisca phaeota), which can be recognized by the dark stripe running from its snout through its eye and the pale stripe along its upper lip. AmphibiaWeb notes that these markings are particularly useful for identifying the species in Costa Rica. And yes, it really was just sitting perfectly on this giant leaf. Tree frogs are especially fun to look for after dark. Masked tree frogs are associated with rainforest habitats and are often found around ponds, where males become especially vocal at night. I will admit, my eyes did not find this frog on my own. One of our guides pointed it out to me and he even had a book that wrote all about the potential animals we could see in that region. If you’re taking a Costa Rica night walk, bring a flashlight and pay attention to leaves around eye level. Tiny frogs are surprisingly easy to walk straight past. 3. Halloween Moon Crab Okay, this one wins for best hiding place. We found a crab literally tucked inside a coconut. This is another reason why having a guide can be helpful because there is no way I would have found this little dude on my own. Based on its bright orange-red coloring and dark purple body, this appears to be a Halloween moon crab, also called a Halloween crab (Gecarcinus quadratus). The name makes a lot more sense once you see one. These crabs can have orange or reddish legs, purple claws and a dark carapace covered with colorful markings. Halloween crabs live primarily on land in coastal forests, despite being crabs, and they spend much of their time in burrows in moist environments. Apparently a coconut works too. This was one of those wildlife encounters I never would have known to look for beforehand, which is part of what makes Costa Rica so fun. There is always something weird hiding somewhere you would never think to check. Check Out Some Wildlife Tours Powered by GetYourGuide 4. Bare-Throated Tiger-Heron I am fairly sure the large bird in these photos is a bare-throated tiger-heron (Tigrisoma mexicanum). First of all, what a name. Second of all, what a beautiful creature! The striped neck is one of the bird’s most noticeable features, and bare-throated tiger-herons are found from Mexico through Central America into northwestern South America. They’re wetland birds that can be found around rivers, marshes, mangroves and other watery areas. Their diet can include fish, amphibians, crustaceans and insects. The funniest part about this encounter was how casually this giant bird was standing on the building like it belonged there. Maybe it did. We saw this bird while having breakfast at Hacienda Guachipelín which is located in the Rincón de la Vieja National Park. We were just sitting having breakfast minding our own business and BAM, this bird wanted attention. My dad became a bird watcher when I went to college so seeing this bird had my jaw on the floor. I may have taken one too many pictures, but wow. Seeing it walk, expand, and stare back at us was truly fascinating. Costa Rica definitely has a way of making you feel like humans are the visitors and the animals own the place. 5. Juvenile Black Spiny-Tailed Iguana At first glance, I thought this had to be a baby green iguana. Plot twist: I think it is actually a juvenile black spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura similis). Yes, I did have to research all these animals because I am no animal expert. Young
7 Wild Creatures I Saw in Costa Rica Read More »
