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Costa Rica Wildlife
Find out about the variety of wildlife we can see and photograph on Will Gray's Costa Rica Photography Tour – more details coming soon...
Spider monkey
Long-limbed spider monkeys move effortlessly through the rainforest canopy, swinging between branches using their remarkable prehensile tails. Troops are often heard before they are seen, crashing noisily through the treetops. With patience, photographers may capture expressive portraits as they pause briefly in shafts of filtered jungle light.
White-faced capuchin
The white-faced capuchin is one of Costa Rica’s most engaging primates. Intelligent and endlessly curious, small troops forage along forest edges and beaches in search of fruit, crabs and insects. Their striking black-and-white faces and lively behaviour make them a rewarding subject for natural, characterful wildlife photography.
Squirrel monkey
Among the smallest of Costa Rica’s monkeys, the squirrel monkey travels in energetic bands through the forest canopy. Their orange backs and masked faces flash between branches as they hunt insects and fruit. Quick reflexes are essential for photographers hoping to capture these fast-moving rainforest acrobats.
Puma
Rarely seen but always present, the puma is the rainforest’s most elusive predator. These powerful cats roam remote valleys and dense jungle, moving silently through the shadows. A glimpse of one in the wild is unforgettable – and for wildlife photographers, the ultimate prize of patience and persistence.
Three-toed sloth
Few animals embody the gentle pace of the rainforest like the three-toed sloth. Hanging almost permanently from branches, they move slowly through the canopy feeding on leaves. Their calm nature often allows close observation, giving photographers time to compose intimate portraits high in the treetops.
Tamandua
The northern tamandua – a small arboreal anteater – is one of the rainforest’s more unusual mammals. With a long snout and powerful claws for opening termite nests, it climbs steadily through branches in search of food. Encounters are uncommon, but always memorable for observant wildlife watchers.
Long-nosed proboscis bat
As dusk settles over the rainforest, bats emerge to fill the twilight sky. Costa Rica hosts an extraordinary variety, from fruit-eating species to agile insect hunters. Watching them dart above forest clearings or rivers can provide dramatic photographic silhouettes against the fading evening light.
Scarlet macaw
Brilliant flashes of red, yellow and blue announce the presence of scarlet macaws long before they appear overhead. These magnificent parrots often fly in pairs above coastal forest, their loud calls echoing across the canopy. Early morning light can produce spectacular opportunities for flight photography.
Orange-chinned parakeet
Costa Rica’s forests resonate with the chatter of parrots and parakeets, while toucans perch conspicuously in fruiting trees. Their colourful plumage and oversized bills stand out vividly against lush foliage. With luck, patient photographers may capture them feeding quietly in the canopy.
Great currasow
The great curassow is a large and surprisingly elegant bird of the rainforest floor. Males are glossy black with a distinctive curled crest, while females wear intricate shades of brown. Often encountered quietly walking along forest trails, they make striking photographic subjects in soft jungle light.
Montezuma oropendula
Oropendulas are best known for their remarkable hanging nests, woven into long clusters from tall trees. Colonies buzz with activity as adults weave new nests and feed their demanding chicks. The spectacle offers wonderful opportunities to photograph both intricate structures and lively bird behaviour.
Boat-billed heron
Wetlands and mangrove lagoons support a rich variety of waterbirds, including the curious boat-billed heron. Often active at dusk, it hunts quietly along still waterways. Early morning boat trips reveal herons, kingfishers and egrets reflected in calm water – ideal conditions for atmospheric wildlife images.
Lesser violetear
Tiny yet dazzling, hummingbirds are among the jewels of the Costa Rican rainforest. Their iridescent feathers flash brilliantly as they hover at flowers, wings beating faster than the eye can follow. Capturing their suspended flight in good light is one of the great challenges – and joys – of bird photography.
Grey-capped flycatcher
Beyond the more colourful species, the forest is alive with smaller birds – flycatchers, warblers and tanagers among them. Perched quietly on branches before darting out to snatch insects, they reward careful observation. Their subtle colours and delicate shapes offer excellent opportunities for classic bird portraits.
Spectacled caiman
Spectacled caiman lurk along quiet rivers and forest lagoons, often resting motionless at the water’s edge. By night their eyes shine brightly in torchlight, revealing their presence in the darkness. Boat trips along rainforest waterways can provide dramatic, low-angle photographic encounters.
Green iguana
Large green iguanas are often seen basking in riverside trees, their prehistoric silhouettes outlined against the sky. With their spiny crests and textured scales, they make impressive reptile subjects. Early sunlight filtering through the canopy beautifully highlights their vivid colour and intricate detail.
Basilisk lizard
The basilisk lizard is famous for its ability to sprint across the surface of water. Found along forest streams, it often freezes when approached, revealing its striking crest and emerald colouring. Moments later it may dash across the river – a remarkable spectacle of rainforest agility.
Green-and-black poison dart frog
Nightfall transforms the rainforest into a chorus of calling frogs. From tiny poison dart frogs to the famous red-eyed tree frog, these amphibians appear on leaves and branches after rain. Guided night walks reveal a miniature world ideally suited to close-up photography.
Cane toad
Rainforest toads emerge after dark to hunt insects along forest trails and clearings. Their earthy colours provide perfect camouflage among fallen leaves. Though less flamboyant than frogs, their textures and patterns can produce surprisingly engaging subjects for macro photography.
Tailless whip spider
Despite its intimidating appearance, the tailless whip spider is harmless and fascinating to observe. With elongated sensory legs extended wide, it moves slowly across tree trunks and cave walls at night. Close-up photography reveals a delicate and strangely elegant rainforest predator.
Golden silk orb-weaver
Orb-weaver spiders spin some of the rainforest’s most intricate structures – perfect circular webs suspended between branches. In the early morning, dew can transform these webs into sparkling works of natural design. At the centre, the spider waits patiently for passing prey.
Elegant bark scorpion
Several species of scorpion inhabit Costa Rica’s forests, usually hidden by day beneath bark and stones. On night walks they can be located with an ultraviolet or infrared torch, which causes them to glow faintly in the darkness – an eerie and memorable sight.
Longhorn beetle
The rainforest hosts a dazzling diversity of beetles, including the impressive longhorn beetles with their exaggerated antennae. Many species are drawn to lights after dark, revealing intricate textures and metallic colours that make superb subjects for close-up photography.
Leafcutter ant
Columns of leafcutter ants marching through the forest are one of the rainforest’s most fascinating spectacles. Each worker carries a fragment of leaf back to the nest, where it is used to cultivate fungus for food. Their endless green procession provides wonderful storytelling images.
Humpback whale
Along Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, humpback whales visit during seasonal migrations. Calm seas occasionally reveal breaching adults or mothers travelling with calves. Watching these enormous mammals against a backdrop of jungle-covered coastline is an unforgettable wildlife experience.
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