Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

🦥 Poison Dart Frog & Sloth Rainforest

⏱ 1 day 🥾 Moderate trails

🌍 #44 Global · 4.5 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #6 in Central America #3 in Wetlands & Mangrove

Southern Caribbean, Costa Rica 983 spp. recorded

Gandoca-Manzanillo protects 19 km of pristine Caribbean coastline — from coral reefs and mangrove wetlands to lowland tropical forest stretching to the Panamanian border. The refuge is a critical nesting site for leatherback, hawksbill, and green sea turtles, while its offshore waters are home to bottlenose and tucuxi dolphins, and one of Costa Rica's last remaining manatee populations.

9.630° N 82.625° W

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

Leatherback Sea Turtle

Dermochelys coriacea

Insufficient data

Strawberry Poison-dart Frog

Oophaga pumilio

70–80% · Very likely

Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloth

Choloepus hoffmanni

60–70% · Likely

Mantled Howler Monkey

Alouatta palliata

60–70% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

White-throated Gecko

Gonatodes albogularis

70–80% · Likely

Great Kiskadee

Pitangus sulphuratus

60–70% · Likely

Black Vulture

Coragyps atratus

60–70% · Likely

Montezuma Oropendola

Psarocolius montezuma

60–70% · Likely

Black-cheeked Woodpecker

Melanerpes pucherani

60–70% · Likely

Central American Agouti

Dasyprocta punctata

60–70% · Likely

Brown-throated Sloth

Bradypus variegatus

60–70% · Likely

Green and Black Dart-poison Frog

Dendrobates auratus

60–70% · Likely

Black-mandibled Toucan

Ramphastos ambiguus

50–60% · Likely

Border Anole

Anolis limifrons

50–60% · Likely

Red-eyed Treefrog

Agalychnis callidryas

50–60% · Likely

Lesser Greenlet

Hylophilus decurtatus

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloth

Choloepus hoffmanni

60–70% · Likely

Mantled Howler Monkey

Alouatta palliata

60–70% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Central American Agouti

Dasyprocta punctata

60–70% · Likely

Brown-throated Sloth

Bradypus variegatus

60–70% · Likely

Central American White-faced Capuchin

Cebus imitator

30–40% · Possible

Red-tailed Squirrel

Sciurus granatensis

30–40% · Possible

Kinkajou

Potos flavus

10–20% · Possible

Central American Spider Monkey

Ateles geoffroyi

10–20% · With luck

Variegated Squirrel

Sciurus variegatoides

Insufficient data

Sumichrast's Vesper Rat

Nyctomys sumichrasti

Insufficient data

Common Opossum

Didelphis marsupialis

Insufficient data

Derby's Woolly Opossum

Caluromys derbianus

Insufficient data

Common Raccoon

Procyon lotor

0–10% · With luck

Proboscis Bat

Rhynchonycteris naso

0–10% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

Great Kiskadee

Pitangus sulphuratus

60–70% · Likely

Black Vulture

Coragyps atratus

60–70% · Likely

Montezuma Oropendola

Psarocolius montezuma

60–70% · Likely

Black-cheeked Woodpecker

Melanerpes pucherani

60–70% · Likely

Black-mandibled Toucan

Ramphastos ambiguus

50–60% · Likely

Lesser Greenlet

Hylophilus decurtatus

50–60% · Likely

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

50–60% · Likely

Keel-billed Toucan

Ramphastos sulfuratus

50–60% · Likely

Whimbrel

Numenius hudsonicus

50–60% · Likely

Scarlet-rumped Tanager

Ramphocelus passerinii

50–60% · Likely

Red-lored Parrot

Amazona autumnalis

50–60% · Likely

Bananaquit

Coereba flaveola

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Leatherback Sea Turtle

Dermochelys coriacea

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

White-throated Gecko

Gonatodes albogularis

70–80% · Likely

Border Anole

Anolis limifrons

50–60% · Likely

Green Iguana

Iguana iguana

50–60% · Likely

Middle American Ameiva

Holcosus festivus

40–50% · Likely

Brown Basilisk

Basiliscus vittatus

40–50% · Likely

Helmeted Iguana

Corytophanes cristatus

30–40% · Possible

Mourning Gecko

Lepidodactylus lugubris

30–40% · Possible

Basiisk Verde

Basiliscus plumifrons

30–40% · Possible

Crested Anole

Anolis cristatellus

30–40% · Possible

Four-lined Ameiva

Holcosus quadrilineatus

30–40% · Possible

Common Caiman

Caiman crocodilus

30–40% · Possible

Neotropical Green Anole

Anolis biporcatus

30–40% · Possible

⭐ Iconic Species

Strawberry Poison-dart Frog

Oophaga pumilio

70–80% · Very likely

📊 Most Spotted

Green and Black Dart-poison Frog

Dendrobates auratus

60–70% · Likely

Red-eyed Treefrog

Agalychnis callidryas

50–60% · Likely

Sylvia's Tree Frog

Cruziohyla sylviae

40–50% · Likely

Masked Tree Frog

Smilisca phaeota

40–50% · Possible

Striped Poison-Dart Frog

Phyllobates lugubris

30–40% · Possible

Giant Marine Toad

Rhinella horribilis

30–40% · Possible

Harlequin Treefrog

Dendropsophus ebraccatus

30–40% · Possible

Striped Rocket Frog

Allobates talamancae

30–40% · Possible

Savage's Thin-toed Frog

Leptodactylus savagei

30–40% · Possible

Sipurio Snouted Treefrog

Scinax elaeochroa

20–30% · Possible

Atlantic Broad-headed Litter Frog

Craugastor megacephalus

20–30% · Possible

Green Climbing Toad

Incilius coniferus

10–20% · Possible

Animal Events

🐢

Leatherback Sea Turtle Nesting

MarAprMayJunJul

The world's largest sea turtle, a leathery-shelled giant that can top two meters, hauls onto these dark-sand beaches under cover of night to dig deep nests and lay clutches of eggs. Watching a leatherback drag her enormous body up the shore is one of the great spectacles of the Caribbean coast.

Leatherback Sea Turtle

Dermochelys coriacea

Insufficient data

🐸

Red-eyed Treefrog Breeding Chorus

JunAugSepNov

After nightfall the rains draw red-eyed treefrogs to pond edges, where males cling to overhanging leaves and call in ringing choruses to attract mates. Their vivid green bodies, orange feet, and startling ruby eyes make this one of the most photographed frogs of the neotropics.

Red-eyed Treefrog

Agalychnis callidryas

50–60% · Likely

🐸

Poison Dart Frog Breeding Season

MayJunJulAugSepOct

When the rains swell the leaf litter, tiny Strawberry and Green-and-Black poison-dart frogs turn boldly territorial, the males calling and wrestling for the best spots. The females carry hatched tadpoles up into water-filled bromeliads one by one, an intimate act of parental care from thumbnail-sized jewels of the forest floor.

Green and Black Dart-poison Frog

Dendrobates auratus

60–70% · Likely

Strawberry Poison-dart Frog

Oophaga pumilio

70–80% · Very likely

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

Leatherback Sea Turtle

<5

<5

10–20

<5

<5

<5

<5

<5

<5

<5

<5

<5

Strawberry Poison-dart Frog

70–80

80–90

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

50–60

70–80

Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloth

70–80

80–90

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

70–80

50–60

70–80

70–80

40–50

60–70

Mantled Howler Monkey

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

70–80

60–70

70–80

40–50

70–80

White-throated Gecko

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

70–80

40–50

70–80

50–60

70–80

70–80

40–50

50–60

70–80

60–70

40–50

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

80–90

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

70–80

60–70

60–70

50–60

70–80

50–60

Montezuma Oropendola

60–70

70–80

60–70

70–80

70–80

80–90

60–70

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

Black-cheeked Woodpecker

50–60

40–50

60–70

50–60

60–70

70–80

70–80

50–60

70–80

70–80

50–60

40–50

Central American Agouti

40–50

60–70

50–60

50–60

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

40–50

40–50

Brown-throated Sloth

70–80

70–80

50–60

30–40

60–70

40–50

20–30

50–60

50–60

60–70

30–40

60–70

Green and Black Dart-poison Frog

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

60–70

Black-mandibled Toucan

40–50

70–80

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

40–50

40–50

50–60

40–50

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

30–40

50–60

70–80

50–60

60–70

60–70

40–50

40–50

50–60

Red-eyed Treefrog

40–50

30–40

60–70

40–50

40–50

70–80

40–50

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

30–40

Lesser Greenlet

30–40

60–70

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

40–50

30–40

60–70

50–60

40–50

20–30

Animal Events

🐸 Poison Dart Frog Breeding Season

🐢 Leatherback Sea Turtle Nesting

🐸 Red-eyed Treefrog Breeding Chorus

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 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ World-class

🦥 Poison Dart Frog & Sloth Rainforest

🦜

Biodiversity

Excellent

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

5.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

587

🐒 Mammals

201

🦎 Reptiles

129

🐸 Amphibians

66

983 Total Species

841 Global average across 280 parks

35 Threatened 50 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Excellent

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

4.3 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

65%

📊

Coverage (315 species at ≥5% of 983 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

32%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (5 bird, 4 mammal, 2 amphibian, 1 reptile)

47% Global avg

91%

🔭

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

132 Global avg

171

🌟

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

20

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

26 Global avg

33

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