Yes, it’s true, not all Costa Rica wildlife is cute and cuddly, but in a country with 5% of the world’s biodiversity each of these little critters serves a special purpose, so try not to take your flip flop to them unless you really have to.
Admittedly, many of the insects seem to be a lot larger than the ones back at home, mostly thanks to the humid weather conditions.
Book the most beautiful vacation villa of your life
If you are planning a Costa Rica vacation, don’t worry, these creatures are rarely found in inhabited areas preferring the depths of the Costa Rica rainforest.
Costa Rica Nature – Tent making Honduran White Fruit Bat
These little cotton ball shaped bats roost under heliconia leaves which they cut with their razor sharp teeth to form a tent. This species can be found in eastern Costa Rica, including the rainforest of Sarrapiqui.
With a yellow face, ears and nose, the white fruit bat huddles in a small colony under the leaf to keep dry. Growing to only 3.7 -4.7 c.m. long these are tiny bats that are active during the late afternoon and night feeding mostly on fruit. White fruit bats help keep the rainforest populated with a variety of plants. For this species to survive, rainforests in the Central American lowlands that have heliconia must remain standing.
Costa Rica Hercules Beetle
The Hercules Beetles is the largest of Rhinoceros beetles and comes from Costa Rica and other countries in Central and South America. Their title is well deserved, with some males reaching 6.75 inches (170 mm) in length. The Hercules beetle is said to be the strongest creature in the world for its size, able to carry 850 times its own body weight.
Costa Rica Wildlife – The Whip Scorpion Spider
It sure looks scary, but the scorpion spider is harmless, honest. Whipscorpions are nocturnal hunters who go after insects and spiders. They use their first pair of legs as antenna to sense their prey. The first true pair of legs is modified to serve as “feelers,” are long, delicate, and whip-like, with many fine hairs.
The Costa Rica Opossum
Certainly not the best looking of Costa Rica wildlife, there are nine species of Opossum located in the country. The most common is the Opossum, pictured, a hairless nocturnal mammal that much resembles an overgrown rat.
If you do encounter any Costa Rica wildlife, its best not to handle them, no matter how cute they appear, observe from a safe distance and be mindful of your flash if you are taking photos. There are several venomous snake, frogs and caterpillars in Costa Rica and whilst tourist accidents of this kind are rare its best to take the necessary precautions.
And if you’ve made it this far! Here’s a baby sloth hanging out in Manuel Antonio, to calm your nerves!
+1 888-818-2097
+506 8932-4731