Piedras Blancas National Park

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

🐒 All Four Monkeys, Golfo Dulce Dolphins

⏱ 1–2 days 🥾 Moderate trails

🌍 #19 Global · 4.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #2 in Central America #4 in Tropical Forest

Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica 1068 spp. recorded

Sharing the same rich lowland rainforest as its famous neighbor Corcovado, Piedras Blancas protects one of Costa Rica's last pristine tropical forests along the shores of the Golfo Dulce. With 96 mammal species, 375+ birds, resident dolphin pods, and a fraction of the visitors, this is the Osa Peninsula's best-kept wildlife secret.

8.703° N 83.268° W

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

Saimiri oerstedii

Ara macao

Ateles geoffroyi

Tursiops truncatus

📊 Most Spotted

Basiliscus basiliscus

70–80% · Very likely

Ramphocelus passerinii

Anolis polylepis

Dasyprocta punctata

Caiman crocodilus

Rhinella horribilis

Ramphastos ambiguus

Leptotila verreauxi

Sporophila corvina

Boana rosenbergi

Pitangus sulphuratus

Agalychnis callidryas

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Saimiri oerstedii

Ateles geoffroyi

Tursiops truncatus

📊 Most Spotted

Dasyprocta punctata

Nasua narica

Cebus imitator

Tamandua mexicana

Pecari tajacu

Alouatta palliata

Rhynchonycteris naso

Choloepus hoffmanni

Sciurus variegatoides

Procyon lotor

Stenella attenuata

Potos flavus

⭐ Iconic Species

★

Ara macao

20–30% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Ramphocelus passerinii

Ramphastos ambiguus

Leptotila verreauxi

Sporophila corvina

Pitangus sulphuratus

Tyrannus melancholicus

50–60% · Likely

Aramides cajanea

50–60% · Likely

Cantorchilus semibadius

50–60% · Likely

Amazilia tzacatl

50–60% · Likely

Arremonops conirostris

50–60% · Likely

Myiozetetes similis

50–60% · Likely

Turdus grayi

50–60% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Basiliscus basiliscus

Anolis polylepis

Caiman crocodilus

Bothrops asper

Holcosus festivus

Leptodeira ornata

Iguana iguana

Thecadactylus rapicauda

30–40% · Possible

Anolis limifrons

30–40% · Possible

LC Endemic

Gonatodes albogularis

30–40% · Possible

Holcosus leptophrys

30–40% · Possible

Anolis capito

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Rhinella horribilis

60–70% · Likely

Boana rosenbergi

50–60% · Likely

Agalychnis callidryas

50–60% · Likely

Leptodactylus savagei

50–60% · Likely

Engystomops pustulosus

Incilius aucoinae

Incilius coniferus

Smilisca phaeota

Scinax boulengeri

Smilisca sordida

Scinax elaeochroa

Craugastor fitzingeri

30–40% · Possible

Animal Events

🐬

Golfo Dulce Cetacean Season

JulAugSepOct

Bottlenose dolphins gather to feed in the calm, tropical-fjord waters of Golfo Dulce, cruising and surfacing in loose pods along the shoreline. Their fishing forays often bring them close enough to watch bow-riding and cooperative feeding from boat and beach.

Tursiops truncatus

30–40% · Possible

🦜

Scarlet Macaw Nesting

DecJanFebMarApr

Scarlet macaws pair off and claim hollow tree cavities to raise their chicks, filling the canopy with brilliant red, blue, and gold as mates fly in tandem to and from the nest. Their raucous squawks make an active nesting tree hard to miss.

Ara macao

20–30% · Possible

🐒

Squirrel Monkey Troop Season

JulSepNovDec

Fast-moving troops of Central American squirrel monkeys sweep through the mid-canopy in search of fruit and insects, often trailed by bolder white-faced capuchins working the same fruiting trees. When both species forage together the forest erupts with chatter and rustling branches.

Cebus imitator

30–40% · Possible

Saimiri oerstedii

40–50% · Possible

🐸

Rainy-Season Frog Breeding

JulAugSepOct

When the wet season fills forest pools, red-eyed treefrogs and tiny granular poison frogs launch into breeding, the males calling through the humid nights to draw in mates. It is the best time to spot the treefrog's flame-orange feet and the poison frog's jewel-bright colors.

Oophaga granulifera

20–30% · Possible

Agalychnis callidryas

50–60% · Likely

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

50–60

40–50

60–70

50–60

40–50

Central American Squirrel Monkey

40–50

20–30

40–50

30–40

60–70

50–60

40–50

10–20

40–50

30–40

Scarlet Macaw

20–30

30–40

10–20

40–50

30–40

Central American Spider Monkey

20–30

30–40

20–30

10–20

20–30

Bottlenose Dolphin

40–50

20–30

40–50

30–40

0–10

20–30

0–10

40–50

0–10

20–30

0–10

Common Basilisk

70–80

80–90

60–70

70–80

40–50

80–90

60–70

50–60

70–80

60–70

Scarlet-rumped Tanager

70–80

80–90

60–70

70–80

60–70

40–50

80–90

70–80

60–70

Many-scaled Anole

60–70

80–90

60–70

70–80

40–50

70–80

60–70

40–50

50–60

Central American Agouti

60–70

70–80

60–70

40–50

60–70

40–50

80–90

60–70

50–60

Common Caiman

60–70

70–80

60–70

30–40

70–80

40–50

50–60

30–40

50–60

Giant Marine Toad

50–60

60–70

40–50

60–70

20–30

50–60

10–20

Black-mandibled Toucan

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

20–30

60–70

50–60

White-tipped Dove

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

70–80

50–60

30–40

50–60

40–50

50–60

Variable Seedeater

50–60

60–70

70–80

50–60

40–50

50–60

30–40

60–70

50–60

Rosenberg's Gladiator Frog

50–60

60–70

40–50

50–60

40–50

50–60

70–80

50–60

40–50

10–20

Great Kiskadee

50–60

60–70

40–50

50–60

40–50

50–60

60–70

Red-eyed Treefrog

40–50

60–70

50–60

20–30

50–60

60–70

70–80

40–50

30–40

60–70

Animal Events

🐬 Golfo Dulce Cetacean Season

🐒 Squirrel Monkey Troop Season

🐸 Rainy-Season Frog Breeding

🦜 Scarlet Macaw Nesting

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

🐒 All Four Monkeys, Golfo Dulce Dolphins

🦜

Biodiversity

Very good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

4.5 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

657

🐒 Mammals

209

🦎 Reptiles

134

🐸 Amphibians

1068 Total Species

841 Global average across 280 parks

38 Threatened 67 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Excellent

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

4.9 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

63%

📊

Coverage (304 species at ≥5% of 1068 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

28%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (5 bird, 3 reptile, 3 amphibian, 1 mammal)

47% Global avg

93%

🔭

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

132 Global avg

182

🌟

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

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

26 Global avg

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Piedras Blancas National Park

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

Central American Squirrel Monkey

Scarlet Macaw

Central American Spider Monkey

Bottlenose Dolphin

📊 Most Spotted

Common Basilisk

Scarlet-rumped Tanager

Many-scaled Anole

Central American Agouti

Common Caiman

Giant Marine Toad

Black-mandibled Toucan

White-tipped Dove

Variable Seedeater

Rosenberg's Gladiator Frog

Great Kiskadee

Red-eyed Treefrog

⭐ Iconic Species

Central American Squirrel Monkey

Central American Spider Monkey

Bottlenose Dolphin

📊 Most Spotted

Central American Agouti

White-nosed Coati

Central American White-faced Capuchin

Northern Tamandua

Dicotyles tajacu

Mantled Howler Monkey

Proboscis Bat

Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloth

Variegated Squirrel

Common Raccoon

Pantropical Spotted Dolphin

Kinkajou

⭐ Iconic Species

Scarlet Macaw

📊 Most Spotted

Scarlet-rumped Tanager

Black-mandibled Toucan

White-tipped Dove

Variable Seedeater

Great Kiskadee

Tropical Kingbird

Gray-cowled Wood-Rail

Riverside Wren

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

Black-striped Sparrow

Social Flycatcher

Clay-colored Thrush

📊 Most Spotted

Common Basilisk

Many-scaled Anole

Common Caiman

Fer-de-lance

Middle American Ameiva

Ornate Cat-eyed Snake

Green Iguana

Turniptail Gecko

Border Anole

White-throated Gecko

Delicate Ameiva

Bighead Anole

📊 Most Spotted

Giant Marine Toad

Rosenberg's Gladiator Frog

Red-eyed Treefrog

Savage's Thin-toed Frog

Guayaquil Dwarf Frog

Rainforest Toad

Green Climbing Toad

Masked Tree Frog

Boulenger's Snouted Tree Frog

Drab Tree Frog

Sipurio Snouted Treefrog

Fitzinger's Robber Frog

Animal Events

Golfo Dulce Cetacean Season