Coiba National Park

🇵🇦 Panama

🐒 Endemic Howler Monkeys & Whale Sharks

🧭 Guide required ⏱ 2–3 days 🥾 Moderate trails

🌍 #56 Global · 4.4 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #11 in Central America #4 in Wetlands & Mangrove

Pacific Islands, Panama 584 spp. recorded

Coiba National Park is a remote protected marine and coastal sanctuary situated off the Pacific coast of Panama, encompassing dense tropical rainforests, sheltered mangroves, and pristine coral reefs. This isolated island refuge remains largely untouched by mainland development, preserving wild habitats that stay remarkably intact.

7.486° N 81.723° W

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

Humpback Whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

30–40% · Possible

Whitetip Reef Shark

Triaenodon obesus

90–100% · Very likely

Whale Shark

Rhincodon typus

40–50% · Likely

Scarlet Macaw

Ara macao

20–30% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Hawksbill

Eretmochelys imbricata

90–100% · Very likely

American Crocodile

Crocodylus acutus

70–80% · Very likely

Green Turtle

Chelonia mydas

70–80% · Very likely

Black Vulture

Coragyps atratus

70–80% · Very likely

Black Spiny-tailed Iguana

Ctenosaura similis

60–70% · Likely

Lance-tailed Manakin

Chiroxiphia lanceolata

60–70% · Likely

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Amazilia tzacatl

60–70% · Likely

Bananaquit

Coereba flaveola

60–70% · Likely

Barred Antshrike

Thamnophilus doliatus

60–70% · Likely

Crimson-backed Tanager

Ramphocelus dimidiatus

60–70% · Likely

Magnificent Frigatebird

Fregata magnificens

50–60% · Likely

Leopard Round Ray

Urobatis pardalis

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Humpback Whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Mantled Howler Monkey

Alouatta palliata

50–60% · Likely

Coiban Agouti

Dasyprocta coibae

40–50% · Likely

Central American White-faced Capuchin

Cebus imitator

40–50% · Likely

Pantropical Spotted Dolphin

Stenella attenuata

40–50% · Likely

Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

Insufficient data

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

Insufficient data

Central American Agouti

Dasyprocta punctata

Insufficient data

Common Opossum

Didelphis marsupialis

Insufficient data

Eden's Whale

Balaenoptera edeni

Insufficient data

Killer Whale

Orcinus orca

Insufficient data

⭐ Iconic Species

Scarlet Macaw

Ara macao

20–30% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Black Vulture

Coragyps atratus

70–80% · Very likely

Lance-tailed Manakin

Chiroxiphia lanceolata

60–70% · Likely

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Amazilia tzacatl

60–70% · Likely

Bananaquit

Coereba flaveola

60–70% · Likely

Barred Antshrike

Thamnophilus doliatus

60–70% · Likely

Crimson-backed Tanager

Ramphocelus dimidiatus

60–70% · Likely

Magnificent Frigatebird

Fregata magnificens

50–60% · Likely

Red-crowned Woodpecker

Melanerpes rubricapillus

50–60% · Likely

Southern House Wren

Troglodytes musculus

50–60% · Likely

Great-tailed Grackle

Quiscalus mexicanus

50–60% · Likely

Brown Pelican

Pelecanus occidentalis

40–50% · Likely

Tropical Gnatcatcher

Polioptila plumbea

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Hawksbill

Eretmochelys imbricata

90–100% · Very likely

American Crocodile

Crocodylus acutus

70–80% · Very likely

Green Turtle

Chelonia mydas

70–80% · Very likely

Black Spiny-tailed Iguana

Ctenosaura similis

60–70% · Likely

Common Basilisk

Basiliscus basiliscus

50–60% · Likely

Green Iguana

Iguana iguana

40–50% · Likely

Yellow-bellied Sea Snake

Hydrophis platurus

Insufficient data

Common House Gecko

Hemidactylus frenatus

Insufficient data

Caribbean Least Gecko

Sphaerodactylus homolepis

Insufficient data

Central American Lizard Eater

Mastigodryas alternatus

Insufficient data

Central American Coral Snake

Micrurus nigrocinctus

Insufficient data

Degenhardt's Scorpion-eating Snake

Stenorrhina degenhardtii

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Giant Marine Toad

Rhinella horribilis

Insufficient data

Green and Black Dart-poison Frog

Dendrobates auratus

Insufficient data

Guayaquil Dwarf Frog

Engystomops pustulosus

Insufficient data

Savage's Thin-toed Frog

Leptodactylus savagei

Insufficient data

Pugnosed Tree Frog

Smilisca sila

Insufficient data

Mexican White-lipped Frog

Leptodactylus fragilis

Insufficient data

⭐ Iconic Species

Whitetip Reef Shark

Triaenodon obesus

90–100% · Very likely

Whale Shark

Rhincodon typus

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Leopard Round Ray

Urobatis pardalis

50–60% · Likely

longtail stingray

Hypanus longus

40–50% · Likely

Pacific Eagle Ray

Aetobatus laticeps

40–50% · Likely

Munk's Pygmy Devil Ray

Mobula munkiana

Insufficient data

Gorgona Guitarfish

Pseudobatos prahli

Insufficient data

Pacific Nurse Shark

Ginglymostoma unami

Insufficient data

Oceanic Manta Ray

Mobula birostris

Insufficient data

Requiem shark

Carcharhinus limbatus

Insufficient data

Southern Banded Guitarfish

Zapteryx xyster

Insufficient data

Target ray

Diplobatis ommata

Insufficient data

Pacific chupare whipray

Styracura pacifica

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🐋

Humpback Whale Season

JulAugSepOct

Humpback whales that migrated up from the southern hemisphere gather in Coiba's sheltered waters to breed and nurse their calves, breaching and slapping the surface along this migration corridor. Pods of pantropical spotted dolphins often feed alongside them, adding a second act to the show.

Humpback Whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

30–40% · Possible

Pantropical Spotted Dolphin

Stenella attenuata

40–50% · Likely

🦈

Whale Shark & Pelagic Season

JanFebMarApr

Dry-season currents draw whale sharks — the world’s largest fish — to the seamounts and Contreras pinnacles, where they cruise and filter-feed near the surface. Whitetip sharks gather in the same waters, making the open sea thick with circling sharks.

Whale Shark

Rhincodon typus

40–50% · Likely

Whitetip Reef Shark

Triaenodon obesus

90–100% · Very likely

🐢

Sea Turtle Nesting Season

JulAugSep

Green and hawksbill turtles haul out to nest on Coiba’s quiet beaches, digging under cover of darkness before returning to the sea. By day the hawksbills forage in the shallows, gliding through the clear water in search of sponges.

Green Turtle

Chelonia mydas

70–80% · Very likely

Hawksbill

Eretmochelys imbricata

90–100% · Very likely

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

0–10

30–40

0–10

30–40

0–10

10–20

70–80

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

0–10

Whitetip Reef Shark

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

90–100

40–50

60–70

70–80

50–60

20–30

30–40

20–30

10–20

40–50

30–40

60–70

20–30

30–40

20–30

30–40

40–50

20–30

10–20

10–20

20–30

20–30

20–30

20–30

20–30

90–100

90–100

80–90

80–90

70–80

70–80

80–90

90–100

90–100

80–90

90–100

90–100

American Crocodile

60–70

60–70

70–80

80–90

70–80

70–80

80–90

80–90

50–60

90–100

50–60

70–80

60–70

60–70

50–60

70–80

60–70

40–50

70–80

80–90

80–90

60–70

80–90

70–80

70–80

60–70

80–90

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

50–60

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

Black Spiny-tailed Iguana

50–60

40–50

70–80

70–80

70–80

40–50

70–80

60–70

40–50

60–70

60–70

70–80

Lance-tailed Manakin

50–60

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

70–80

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

70–80

60–70

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

70–80

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

30–40

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

Barred Antshrike

60–70

70–80

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

Crimson-backed Tanager

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

Magnificent Frigatebird

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

70–80

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

Leopard Round Ray

80–90

80–90

50–60

70–80

80–90

50–60

30–40

60–70

50–60

40–50

30–40

60–70

Animal Events

🐋 Humpback Whale Season

🦈 Whale Shark & Pelagic Season

🐢 Sea Turtle Nesting Season

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Excellent

🐒 Endemic Howler Monkeys & Whale Sharks

🦜

Biodiversity

Good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

4.2 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

326

🐒 Mammals

170

🦎 Reptiles

67

🐸 Amphibians

8

🦈 Sharks & Rays

13

584 Total Species

841 Global average across 280 parks

24 Threatened 40 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Excellent

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

4.4 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

70%

📊

Coverage (151 species at ≥5% of 584 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

26%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (7 bird, 4 reptile, 1 elasmobranch)

47% Global avg

72%

🔭

Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)

132 Global avg

104

🌟

Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)

14 Global avg

13

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

26 Global avg

35

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