Santa Rosa National Park

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

🐢 Olive Ridley Arribada

⏱ 1 day 🥾 Moderate trails

🌍 #54 Global · 4.4 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #9 in Central America #19 in Tropical Forest

Guanacaste, Costa Rica 830 spp. recorded

Santa Rosa protects the largest remaining tropical dry forest in Central America — a unique ecosystem where trees shed their leaves in the dry season, creating open canopy conditions ideal for wildlife spotting. The park is home to olive ridley sea turtle mass nestings (arribadas) at Playa Nancite, one of the most important nesting sites in the world.

10.853° N 85.672° W

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

Pacific Ridley

Lepidochelys olivacea

Insufficient data

Central American White-faced Capuchin

Cebus imitator

70–80% · Very likely

Mantled Howler Monkey

Alouatta palliata

50–60% · Likely

Black Spiny-tailed Iguana

Ctenosaura similis

80–90% · Very likely

📊 Most Spotted

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

70–80% · Very likely

Milk Frog

Trachycephalus macrotis

60–70% · Likely

Hoffmann's Woodpecker

Melanerpes hoffmannii

60–70% · Likely

Sheep Frog

Hypopachus variolosus

60–70% · Likely

Central American Agouti

Dasyprocta punctata

50–60% · Likely

Banded Wren

Thryophilus pleurostictus

50–60% · Likely

White-tipped Dove

Leptotila verreauxi

50–60% · Likely

Great Kiskadee

Pitangus sulphuratus

50–60% · Likely

Great Curassow

Crax rubra

50–60% · Likely

Rufous-backed Wren

Campylorhynchus capistratus

50–60% · Likely

Squirrel Cuckoo

Piaya cayana

50–60% · Likely

Rufous-capped Warbler

Basileuterus rufifrons

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Central American White-faced Capuchin

Cebus imitator

70–80% · Very likely

Mantled Howler Monkey

Alouatta palliata

50–60% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

70–80% · Very likely

Central American Agouti

Dasyprocta punctata

50–60% · Likely

Central American Spider Monkey

Ateles geoffroyi

40–50% · Likely

White-nosed Coati

Nasua narica

30–40% · Possible

Northern Tamandua

Tamandua mexicana

30–40% · Possible

Common Raccoon

Procyon lotor

20–30% · Possible

Variegated Squirrel

Sciurus variegatoides

20–30% · Possible

Big-eared Climbing Rat

Ototylomys phyllotis

20–30% · Possible

Baird's Tapir

Tapirella bairdii

10–20% · Possible

Gray Fox

Urocyon cinereoargenteus

10–20% · With luck

Derby's Woolly Opossum

Caluromys derbianus

10–20% · With luck

Salvin's Spiny Pocket Mouse

Liomys salvini

10–20% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

Hoffmann's Woodpecker

Melanerpes hoffmannii

60–70% · Likely

Banded Wren

Thryophilus pleurostictus

50–60% · Likely

White-tipped Dove

Leptotila verreauxi

50–60% · Likely

Great Kiskadee

Pitangus sulphuratus

50–60% · Likely

Great Curassow

Crax rubra

50–60% · Likely

Rufous-backed Wren

Campylorhynchus capistratus

50–60% · Likely

Squirrel Cuckoo

Piaya cayana

50–60% · Likely

Rufous-capped Warbler

Basileuterus rufifrons

50–60% · Likely

White-Throated Magpie-Jay

Calocitta formosa

40–50% · Likely

Brown-crested Flycatcher

Myiarchus tyrannulus

40–50% · Likely

Inca Dove

Columbina inca

40–50% · Likely

Yellow-olive Flycatcher

Tolmomyias sulphurescens

40–50% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Pacific Ridley

Lepidochelys olivacea

Insufficient data

Black Spiny-tailed Iguana

Ctenosaura similis

80–90% · Very likely

📊 Most Spotted

Slender Hognose Viper

Porthidium ophryomegas

40–50% · Likely

Rhombic Cat-eyed Snake

Leptodeira rhombifera

40–50% · Likely

Central American Rattlesnake

Crotalus simus

40–50% · Likely

Central American Lyresnake

Trimorphodon quadruplex

40–50% · Possible

Central American Banded Gecko

Coleonyx mitratus

30–40% · Possible

Black-banded Cat-eyed Snake

Leptodeira nigrofasciata

30–40% · Possible

Sooty Black-striped Snake

Coniophanes piceivittis

30–40% · Possible

Central American Boa

Boa imperator

30–40% · Possible

Yellowbelly Gecko

Phyllodactylus tuberculosus

30–40% · Possible

Aspidoscelis deppei

Aspidoscelis deppii

30–40% · Possible

Central American Coral Snake

Micrurus nigrocinctus

30–40% · Possible

American Crocodile

Crocodylus acutus

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Milk Frog

Trachycephalus macrotis

60–70% · Likely

Sheep Frog

Hypopachus variolosus

60–70% · Likely

Mexican Smilisca

Smilisca baudinii

40–50% · Likely

Giant Marine Toad

Rhinella horribilis

40–50% · Likely

Guayaquil Dwarf Frog

Engystomops pustulosus

40–50% · Likely

Yellow Toad

Incilius luetkenii

40–50% · Likely

Stauffer's Tree Frog

Scinax staufferi

30–40% · Possible

Forrer's Grass Frog

Lithobates forreri

30–40% · Possible

Turbo White-lipped Frog

Leptodactylus poecilochilus

30–40% · Possible

Dry Forest Toad

Incilius coccifer

20–30% · Possible

Yellow Treefrog

Dendropsophus microcephalus

20–30% · Possible

Mexican Burrowing Toad

Rhinophrynus dorsalis

10–20% · With luck

Animal Events

🐢

Olive Ridley Turtle Arribada

AugSepOctNov

In one of nature's great synchronized spectacles, thousands of olive ridley sea turtles storm the same beach together over a few nights, hauling their bodies up the sand to dig nests shoulder to shoulder. This mass nesting, known as an arribada, turns the shoreline into a churning field of flippers and freshly laid eggs.

Pacific Ridley

Lepidochelys olivacea

Insufficient data

🦜

Dry Forest Birding Season

DecJanFebMarApr

When the dry forest sheds its leaves, the bare branches strip away the canopy's cover and lay the birds bare to view. The turkey-sized great curassow struts in plain sight, raucous white-throated magpie-jays move through in noisy flocks, and male long-tailed manakins pair up to perform their acrobatic cartwheeling courtship dance.

Great Curassow

Crax rubra

50–60% · Likely

White-Throated Magpie-Jay

Calocitta formosa

40–50% · Likely

Long-tailed Manakin

Chiroxiphia linearis

40–50% · Likely

🐒

Dry Season Wildlife Congregation

JanFebMarApr

As the tropical dry forest bakes and waterholes shrink to a few precious pools, wildlife is forced into the open to drink. White-faced capuchins, mantled howler monkeys, and white-tailed deer converge on the last remaining water, making animals that are usually scattered and hidden easy to spot in one place.

Central American White-faced Capuchin

Cebus imitator

70–80% · Very likely

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

70–80% · Very likely

Mantled Howler Monkey

Alouatta palliata

50–60% · Likely

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

10–20

10–20

<5

10–20

20–30

10–20

10–20

<5

30–40

10–20

10–20

10–20

Central American White-faced Capuchin

70–80

60–70

70–80

70–80

30–40

30–40

80–90

50–60

60–70

50–60

40–50

60–70

Mantled Howler Monkey

70–80

50–60

50–60

40–50

30–40

40–50

60–70

20–30

40–50

40–50

50–60

40–50

Black Spiny-tailed Iguana

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

70–80

80–90

90–100

70–80

80–90

60–70

80–90

White-tailed Deer

70–80

70–80

80–90

70–80

30–40

60–70

80–90

70–80

50–60

70–80

30–40

60–70

80–90

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

70–80

60–70

30–40

40–50

60–70

70–80

Hoffmann's Woodpecker

50–60

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

70–80

30–40

20–30

40–50

40–50

60–70

70–80

60–70

50–60

50–60

70–80

70–80

80–90

Central American Agouti

50–60

50–60

40–50

60–70

40–50

60–70

80–90

40–50

50–60

30–40

50–60

40–50

50–60

40–50

40–50

50–60

50–60

70–80

70–80

70–80

30–40

50–60

50–60

50–60

White-tipped Dove

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

30–40

40–50

60–70

40–50

40–50

40–50

60–70

50–60

40–50

60–70

40–50

50–60

50–60

40–50

40–50

40–50

60–70

30–40

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

40–50

40–50

50–60

40–50

60–70

40–50

Rufous-backed Wren

30–40

40–50

40–50

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

40–50

40–50

30–40

60–70

Squirrel Cuckoo

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

40–50

40–50

50–60

40–50

60–70

40–50

50–60

Rufous-capped Warbler

50–60

60–70

40–50

40–50

50–60

40–50

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

Animal Events

🦜 Dry Forest Birding Season

🐒 Dry Season Wildlife Congregation

🐢 Olive Ridley Turtle Arribada

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

🐢 Olive Ridley Arribada

🦜

Biodiversity

Good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

4.2 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

503

🐒 Mammals

190

🦎 Reptiles

109

🐸 Amphibians

28

830 Total Species

841 Global average across 280 parks

28 Threatened 68 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Excellent

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

4.5 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

62%

📊

Coverage (273 species at ≥5% of 830 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

33%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (6 bird, 3 mammal, 2 amphibian, 1 reptile)

47% Global avg

87%

🔭

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

132 Global avg

134

🌟

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

19

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

26 Global avg

37

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