Costa Rica seems to have 800 of everything. 800 bird species. 800 snake species. 800 frog species. Okay, I am being a little facetious. But with a country the size of Wales having 5% of the world’s biodiversity, the numbers are always in the hundreds. Sometimes the thousands.
I haven’t seen even a fraction of the wildlife here. But I have seen some amazing creatures. Colourful ones, common ones, not-so-common ones. Weird-looking ones.
This country is known for its wildlife and it has not disappointed. Here’s a few of my favourites…
A is for agouti – technically a rodent but as large as a dog. Seen foraging in the forest but far too shy for my camera to snap!
B is for basilisk – also known as the Jesus Christ lizard for its ability to run on water. Still waiting to see the miraculous sprint but I keep praying!
…and for blue morpho – the national butterfly of Costa Rica. Always a moment of excitement when you spot a flash of bright blue in the lush forest.
C is for coati – cheeky creatures often seen hunting for food – human food! But much nicer to see in large groups running through the forest in their natural environment.
D is for dog – clearly not a wild animal but seen in large numbers roaming the streets. But unlike in other countries, these are not homeless street dogs but dogs that go home at night. Why they are let out to roam the streets or lie in the road in the daytime is not something I have worked out but it turns driving into an obstacle course!
E is for eye-lashed pit viper – one of many venomous snakes in Costa Rica, it’s better not to get too close. But to see the eye-lashes, you need to get closer than you should!
F is for fer de lance – also known as the terciopelo, it is the most feared snake in Costa Rica. Quick and aggressive, it will chase anyone who stumbles upon one. And with only an hour to get the anti-venom, many people do not survive a terciopelo bite. Anti-venom options are a frequent discussion point on our whatsapp group!
G is for grackle – not the prettiest of birds, it looks like a large blackbird with an uncommonly long tail. It has a distinctive call and is one of the birds I hear most at my house.
H is for howler monkey – one of four monkey species in Costa Rica, you may not always see them. But you can definitely hear them!
…and for hummingbird – with over 50 species, they come in an array of colours. But the sight and sound of their wings flapping is most magical. Hovering, then darting as they move from flower to flower. So it came as a bit of a surprise to have one fly past my head as I worked at my desk!
I is for iguana – the largest of the lizards, they’re a sight to behold as they snooze on the treetops or waddle across the park. They may look prehistoric but boy, can they run!
J is for jaguar – okay, I haven’t actually spotted a jaguar. Sadly. At least, not one in the wild. But I have seen the remains of their kill – a meter long turtle that proved no match for such a powerful creature.
K is for kiskadee – another bird commonly heard at my house. So called because their call sounds just like that. Kiskadee, kiskadee.
L is for leaf-cutter ants – thousands of tiny creatures carrying cargo twenty times their weight form rivers of green across the forest floor as they munch their way to building a fungus nest. Hated by gardeners, they’re one of my favourite animals in the forest.
M is for macaw – scarlet or green, they’re both magnificent birds. Officially they don’t exist in my part of Costa Rica but they’re clearly seen flying home to roost each evening. A flash of red never fails to excite. We know they are there!
N is for nine-banded armadillo – an amazing pre-historic looking creature. Not easy to spot but amazing when you do! One has moved into my friends’ garden and I am mega-jealous!!
O is for ox (cart) – one of Costa Rica’s national symbols, the oxcart is brightly painted and brings a splash of colour to fields across the country.
P is for poison dart frog – these tiny little frogs are colourful creatures. Black and green or red and blue (aka the blue jeans frog). But don’t get too close – red is for danger. And in this case, so is green!
Q is for quetzal – one of my last missions in CR was to spot the elusive quetzal and it didn’t disappoint. The long plume of feathers and magnificent turquoise colour render this one of the most beautiful of Costa Rica’s birds. Admittedly, it has a lot of colourful competition. Which does beg the question why the national bird is a dull, boring brown!
R is for red-eyed tree frog – my favourite frog. I mean, who couldn’t fall in love with such a colourful creature!
S is for sloth – the animal every tourist wants to see. Known in Spanish as ‘lazy’, the lethargic sloth gets a rough deal. Forests country-wide are filled with gringos peering upwards. Two-toed or three-toed, there is something magical about this koala-looking creature.
T is for toucan – one of those birds giving the quetzal a run for its money. There are two main species of toucan in CR – the chestnut billed and the glorious keel-billed. Those bills make them look like they should topple over in flight!
….and turtle – second time lucky on my turtle-watching trips. Seeing a meter-long green turtle dragging herself slowly up the beach and digging a deep hole to lay 120 eggs, of which only 2% survive – is that dedication or optimism? Either way, it’s an awesome sight.
U is for urutao – more commonly known as the common potoo. Maybe not one of my favourites but the only U I could come up with! Their bark-toned camouflage is impressive though.
V is for vulture – I’ve never seen so many vultures in one place. But the rainforests provide ample fresh prey to swoop in on. And when they’re not feeding, they soar on the thermals, high above the forest.
W is for white faced monkey – also known as the capuchin monkey but apparently not actually a capuchin monkey. I’m not sure how that works. Pretty though!
XYZ is for zebra longwing – as the name suggests, it has long wings with stripes reminiscent of a zebra. Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s a butterfly.
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