Costa Rica, Wildlife Sanctuary
Palo Verde, Costa Rica - 2019
Finding and photographing animals around Costa Rica is kind of like playing Pokemon in real life.
There are so many nature and wildlife reserves to visit. Add that to a huge number of national parks, as well as simply wandering around, and you have a really good chance to see something interesting.
Tamarindo
You can see animals all over the country but let’s start in Tamarindo. In the photos below you’ll see some beautiful birds and a howler monkey, which is famous for providing the sound of the T-Rex in Jurassic Park. It’s one of, if not the loudest animal on the planet. At 5 AM, the alpha will wake you up with his screams, making sure that his territory is marked and scaring away anyone who dares to come close. If you take the boat ride down the river away from the town, you can see a huge variety of birds and even some crocodiles. It goes through an estuary, and one of Costa Rica’s most important ecological zones, the mangroves.
Ecological Reserves - Danaus Ecocenter
One day, a few friends and I went on a small trip to a wildlife reserve close to Arenal Volcano. The main goal of the day was to see animals. We entered through a normal tourist building, but after that, it was a path through the rainforest. All animals that we saw were in their own natural habitat and well-taken care of. Costa Rica is such a beautiful place because they are really big on preservation, and they do it in the most natural ways possible. The environment is important to them, and it shows in every corner of the country.
Tortuguero National Park
Tortuguero is a place on the Caribbean side of the country so expect to see much different flora and feel a different vibe than most of the country. The boat rides down the river in the early morning will show you some of the most beautiful animal species Costa Rica has to offer. This is also a really popular place to see turtles giving birth, which I did with a group of friends, but it was at night during a rainstorm so it wasn’t the best time for photos. If you really want a Costa Rican animal-expedition, Tortuguero is an amazing choice. Watch for giant iguanas, toucans, and spider monkeys.
Palo Verde National Park
If you want to see crocodiles, this is the place to come. Palo Verde National Park follows the Tempisque River through an exotic marshland. Just like the rest of Costa Rica, tropical birds come here to relax and catch fish. Mangroves line the sides of the river where you can find caiman hidden under the water. Look beyond those mangroves onto land and watch crocodiles avoiding the sun, but don’t get too close. They’ll notice you and jump into the water for cover, and a boat ride down the river is much scarier knowing a giant croc is directly below.
Manuel Antonio National Park
Said by many to be the most beautiful park in Costa Rica, Manuel Antonio offers amazing opportunities to see one of the treasures of the tropics: sloths. Internet sensation and resident nice-guy, the sloth is always smiling. They’re slow and lazy but it’s all with a purpose. They don’t move much and they take weeks to digest their meals, they’re built to conserve energy. I personally found Manuel Antonio a little too touristy but it’s popular for good reason. One can see a ton of birds, a variety of other animals, and capuchin monkeys.
Rincon de la Vieja
I’ll save the best for last. One day, a couple friends and I went to the local volcano, Rincon de la Vieja. While we were walking, we came across a guide with two tourists. They were looking at something, but we couldn’t see what it was. As we got closer, we still had trouble seeing it. Only when we got right next to it, we were able to see it was a giant snake eating a toad. It was completely blended into the landscape. I took a quick picture before it scurried away.
