The Animals of Costa Rica

Fortunately, Costa Rica’s wildlife is so extensive that we cannot provide an exhaustive list. However, this will provide you a great introduction to the animals you will find here. It is also a good preparation for your trip and will enable you to spot more of the listed animals during your vacation.

Over 80% of the earth’s terrestrial animals live in tropic regions. This explains why small Costa Rica has over 600 species to offer (excluding insects)! Ecologically, this is connected with the rainforests: because photosynthesis and production of organic matter is much faster than in temperate regions, there is space for more plant-eating animals (herbivores). Because carnivorous predators have more to eat, a larger amount of species can thrive in the tropics.