10 Most Common Costa Rica Mammals

Costa Rica is home to all types of mammals. You are more likely to see some endangered mammals in Costa Rica than in any other country. Costa Rica is home to 5% of land-bound animals worldwide. 260 different mammal species inhabit various parts of Costa Rica. 

What I love about Costa Rica is that I see mammals physically, which I have only read about in books or seen on Nat Geo. The mantled howler monkey, puma, coatis, and tapirs are some of the many mammals I have seen in Costa Rica. 

Key Takeaways

Costa Rica is home to many mammals because it takes animal preservation seriously. It is among the few countries that have set aside 25% of their  land for conservation. 

  • In 2012, Costa Rica became the first Central American country to ban sports hunting. Exporting, importing, or keeping any wildlife as pets is also illegal. 
  • When you encounter a mammal, please avoid touching it. The best time to see wildlife is in the early mornings or late afternoons. The waterholes are the best places to view mammals. 
  • Four different monkey species live in Costa Rica, and you will likely see them on the grounds of resorts near the beach or jungles. 
  • Costa Rica alone has 110 bat species, half of the ones found worldwide. Bats don’t harm humans unless they scare them, though the vampire bat species does spread rabies among cattle. 

10 Most Common Costa Rica Mammals

Costa Rica has many types of mammals with different inhabitants. These are land, marine, and air mammals. However, considering the large number of species, sightings are different than expected. 117 of the 260 mammals in Costa Rica are bats. Another reason for Costa Rica’s’ rare sightings of mammals is that most are nocturnal. 

Only about 30 of the mammal species are active during the day but will tend to hide from humans. 

Sloths

Sloths

Did you know that the sloth is Costa Rica’s spirit animal? Known as one of the slowest animals on earth, the sloth is a common mammal in various rainforests and parks. Its slow movement could be due to its inability to walk on all fours. The sloth’s hairy body is home to organisms such as beetles, algae, moths, and cockroaches. 

Costa Rica is home to two sloth species, the two-toed and the three-toed. However, with an expert guide, they are easier to spot. They blend effortlessly with the environment. But once you spot one, you will have all the time to admire it, as sloths don’t hide from humans. Sloths only come to the ground once a week to defecate. Sloths are also skilled swimmers. 

The best places to see sloths are the Sloth Sanctuary (Limon) and the Jaguar Rescue Center (Puerto Viejo). However, I have also spotted some at Manuel Antonia National Park and the Rio Celeste Waterfall. Sloths can live up to 20 years, and their sexual maturity begins at three years. 

Monkey

Monkeys

It’s the one Costa Rican mammal you will not miss when visiting various places. They are known as the New World monkeys because they evolved from African and Asian species. The New World monkeys have widely spaced nostrils, unlike the African and Asian monkeys, which have narrow nostrils pointing downward. 

Costa Rica has four different monkey species. While seeing all four in one place might be challenging, you will likely see one or two. 

  • Capuchin: They love hanging around the beach, and you might see them at resorts and hotels nearby. Capuchins have a black body and a white cowl. They are notorious for stealing bird eggs and nestlings, though their primary diet consists of insects, fruits, corn, and small lizards. 
  • Squirrel: Also known as the titi, squirrel monkeys are rare in Costa Rica. You are more likely to see squirrel monkeys in Corcovado National Park
  • Spider: Their diet consists of insects, small lizards, and fruits. Spider monkeys have copper-colored bodies and a tail longer than their combined body and head. 
  • Howler: They are the largest monkey species in Costa Rica, and you will find them almost everywhere. Don’t be surprised to see them in the streets and national parks. Howler’s high-pitched cries will undoubtedly wake you up in the morning, especially if you’re staying near a jungle or rainforest. 

Tapir

Tapir

There are estimated to be around 300 tapirs in Costa Rica alone, but they are still rare. However, you might be lucky to see one or two at Corcovado National Park or the Talamanca Mountains. 

Tapirs have features that are a crossbreed between the pig, horse, and elephant. It has a short proboscis that is highly mobile and quickly plucks leaves and shoves them inside its mouth.

Tapirs are excellent swimmers, but human interference has forced the Costa Rican government to confine them to national parks and reserves. They hide in dense forests and swamps, concealing themselves from humans. However, the jaguar is still the main predator of tapirs.

Coatis

Coatis

Related to raccoons, coatis are likely to be seen on the ground of the hotel you are staying at, especially near a forest. They are slender, dark mammals known as “Costa Rican racoons” by the locals. Its other local name is Pizote. The white-nosed coatis is the most common in Costa Rica. 

The coatis are friendly and funny animals. However, males become aggressive when they are sexually mature and females become aggressive when in heat. Male coatis are solitary and only seek females during the mating season. 

Coatis spend their nights on trees but come down to look for food during the day. The coatis have a varied diet consisting of 

  • Insects
  • Snakes
  • Eggs
  • Lizards
  • Fruits
  • Mice

Arenal Volcano, Corcovado National Park, and Rincón de la Vieja National Park are familiar places where you can see the coatis. Coatis have also moved to Heredia, Alajuela, and San Jose for food. 

Bats

Bats

I was amazed that one of the smallest mammals is so rampant in Costa Rica that even the locals don’t fear it. Bats avoid bright light, and you’ll likely find them hiding in trees, roofs, branches, or under palm leaves. Most bats are not harmful and mainly feed on fruits and insects. But they are pretty scary, especially if you come across them by surprise. 

Costa Rica has around 110 bat species, 55 of which are most common around the Osa Peninsula and the Pacific coast. While some bats feed on plant matter, others consume cattle blood, nuts, frogs, nectar, and beetles—some hunt for food in thick vegetation, while others prefer the air. 

There are estimated to be 5,000 bats in Barra Honda National Park alone. I highlight some common bat species in Costa Rica in the table below. 

Different Types of Bats in Costa Rica
Tentmaking bats It bites the middle vein of a large leaf, causing its side to droop down, forming shelter.
The tent-making bat has a gray coat with a white strip running down the middle of its back and four white strips on its face.
You’ll mainly find tent-making bats in the Drake Bay area.
Long-nosed proboscis bats The bats have white lines down their back and a long, pointed nose.
They make up colonies of about 5–10 bats.
Live 30 meters from any place with running water and are common in the Caribbean and Pacific lowlands.
Honduran white bats Among the 6 bat species with all white fur, yellow ears, and a nose,.
I saw a few at the La Selva Biological Station.
Pygmy round-eared bat They live in the termite mounds.
Its main diet includes fruits and insects.
A male bat prevents termites from filling up the holes.
Jamaican fruit bat It’s a giant bat with black or brown upperparts and white stripes above and below the eyes.
The bat helps in reforestation by properly dispersing seeds.
It is common in Monteverde areas and many other rainforests throughout Costa Rica.
Vampire bat It has two razor-sharp incisors for puncturing its prey. The glycoprotein in the bat’s tongue clots the prey’s blood as the bat licks it.
They don’t bite humans but do infect cattle with rabies in Costa Rica.
Common in Manuel Antonio, Golfito, Carara National Park, and Quepos areas.
Fishing bulldog bat It has gaff-shaped claws for hooking fish and a huge wingspan. The fishing bat can sense even the slightest ripples in the water.
The bulldog bat has a blunt nose, which gives it the appearance of a bulldog, and pointed ears.
It’s common in Tortuguero National Park.

Anteater

Anteater

Each anteater lives alone and needs around 185 acres of space. That’s why you are more likely to see the anteater in the Osa Peninsula region than anywhere else in Costa Rica. Its main diet consists of termites and non-biting/stinging ants. 

An anteater has a long, sticky tongue in a tubular mouth with no teeth. It uses its long front claws to dig and tear open termite nests. There are three species of anteaters in Costa Rica. 

  • Collared anteater: It’s a bit bigger than the domestic cat. 
  • The giant anteater is the most rare to see and might even be extinct in Costa Rica. 
  • Silky anteater: Mainly nocturnal and lives high up in the canopies. 

Jaguar

Jaguar

With a large area under conservation in Costa Rica, it’s no wonder you are more likely to find the world’s largest and most endangered cat species there. One of them is the Jaguar, the third-largest feline worldwide. Costa Rican jaguars have a rich yellow coat with black rosettes. Jaguars are skilled climbers, swimmers, and versatile hunters. 

The jaguar mainly lives in dense forests and might be rare to spot. Its most common habitats include Río Macho Forest Preserve, Tortuguero, Monteverde, Corcovado National Park, and Santa Rosa. However, the biggest enemy of the jaguar is deforestation. 

Other big cats that inhabit Costa Rica’s jungles and forests include the ocelot, jaguarundi, and pumas. 

Agouti

Agouti

The Agouti is a giant rodent similar to the guinea pig. Its front legs are shorter than the hind ones but it can outrun most predators. Agoutis have a brown to reddish coat with a white to yellowish belly. They are diurnal and solitary but they can unite in groups to defend their territory. 

Like the squirrel, the agouti helps with seed dispersal in the forest. It buries seeds for short periods of time. If it doesn’t consume them, the seeds germinate and grow. Apart from seeds, the agoutis eat fruits, roots, stems, and leaves. Their teeth are sharp and can crack even the hardest nuts. 

The agouti has a lifespan of 20 years. Female agoutis give birth throughout their lives. 110 days after mating, the agouti female gives birth to 1–3 little ones. The local name for the agouti is guatusa or paca. 

Aguti are common in most national parks in Costa Rica, specifically on the Osa Peninsula. Carara National Park in San Jose is another place to see them. When alarmed, they will easily hide underwater. The main predators of the agouti are wild dogs, coatis, anteaters, and other wild animals. 

Whales

Whales

Like dolphins, whales are sea mammals and are abundant in Costa Rica. The Caribbean and Pacific coasts are the best places to watch whales in Costa Rica. Most whales migrating from the winter season in the north and south prefer the warm weather of Costa Rica.

There are six common whale species in Costa Rica. 

Costa Rican Whales Seasons and Locations
Humpback whales December to March and August to October ( Central Pacific Coast).
January to April and July to October (South Pacific Coast).
Common on beaches such as Tamarindo, Playa del Coco, and the coast of Papagayo.
Pseudo-Orca Whales (false killer whales) November to April
You can see them on the beaches at Dominical and Uvita. Common also at Marina Ballena National Park.
Pilot whales December to April on the South Pacific Coast.
Atlantic whales December to April
You can find them around the Tortuguero waters.
Killer whales October to March.
Drake Bay, Cano Islands, Dolfo Gulce, and Bahía Ballena.
It is rare, as they prefer colder waters.
Blue whales January to March.
Costa Rica Dome is near the Coco Islands.

Manatees

Manatees

Manatees are herbivorous marine animals known as sea cows. The largest population inhabits the Tortuguero waters. However, I recommend using non-motorized vessels to see the manatees. They avoid noise, and motorized boats’ blades can harm them. The Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge in Limon is a manatee sanctuary. 

They have small, round eyes, a large flat tail, and lips hanging at the sides of their mouths. Previously hunted by the locals for their meat and hide, the Costa Rican government now protects manatees. They thrive in both salty and fresh waters. 

Manatees mainly feed on water hyacinths and other aquatic plants. They often lie submerged in water, and missing them is easy. Keenly watch out for rising bubbles and nostrils rising from the water.

 If you’re particularly intrigued by sloths, don’t miss our guide on the best places for Costa Rica sloth watching where you can learn about where and how to see these adorable creatures in their natural habitat.

My ventures into Costa Rican wildlife adventures involve the hope of seeing the big cats, specifically the jaguar. While I was not fortunate enough to see one, I saw the Baird Tapir. 

Have you ever seen any of the Costa Rican big cats or any other mammals not mentioned above? Please share your experience.

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About 

Born in California, Michelle traveled extensively through the USA and Europe before moving to South Florida during the pandemic. Her career in Marketing has taken her all across the world. Her favorite country is France but she'll never turn down a beach vacation! Make sure to download the AllWorld Travel Hacks FREE ebook.

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