Much to the delight of wildlife watchers, more than 200 species of mammals have been spied in Costa Rica. The country’s national parks and other protected areas are teeming with interesting mammals, many of which are rarely seen anywhere else in the world.

 

About half of the 200 species are bats. In Costa Rica, they come in all shapes and sizes! Monkeys are quite common as well and visitors often enjoy watching their antics. Costa Rican species of monkeys include the howler, white-faced capuchin, spider, and squirrel monkeys. Other commonly-seen mammals include anteaters, sloths, deer, peccaries (wild pigs), raccoons, agouti (a cat-sized rodent), paca (similar to the agouti), coyotes, the grey fox, and the bizarre-looking tapir, seemingly a cross between an elephant, rhinoceros, pig, and horse.

 

Costa Rica is also home to a number of large cats, but they’re rarely seen by tourists. They include the rare jaguarundi, pumas, margays, ocelots, oncillas, and the jaguar.