Costa Rica is world famous for its wildlife, and I’ve seen plenty of amazing animals while researching Costa Rica: The Complete Guide. Monkeys, sloths, sea turtles, macaws, quetzals, coatis, anteaters, agoutis — the list goes on.
During my first month in Costa Rica, I saw a tapir mother and baby while hiking in Corcovado, then drove north to the Central Pacific where I saw twelve toucans perched in a single tree! (Tragically, I didn’t have my camera handy in either situation, which was a fantastic way to learn to always have your camera ready in Costa Rica.)
But after you’ve been in Costa Rica for a few years, spotting world-class tropical wildlife becomes completely normal. Over time it takes more and more to impress you.
Once you’ve seen a superpod of two thousand spinner dolphins off Drake Bay, or watched ten thousand sea turtles lay their eggs simultaneously during an arribada at Ostional, it’s hard to get really excited about a howler monkey.
But no matter how many incredible animals you see in Costa Rica, the sight of a baby animal will always melt your heart. Howler monkeys may be everywhere, but a baby howler monkey clinging to its mother’s back … now that’s special!
Below are some of my favorite photos of baby animals in Costa Rica.
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"This is my favorite guide book ever ... We discovered so many things we'd have otherwise missed!" —Lindzee McCain, May 2017
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Playing peek-a-boo with a young margay near Arenal Volcano.
His superpower is clearly adorable dangling.
Sloth mother and baby hanging out in a cecropia tree.
In Tortuguero, on the Caribbean coast, green sea turtles hatch between August and December.
Immediately after hatching, sea turtles scamper to the sea trying to avoid predators. Run little guy, run!
This little sloth makes Bob Marley look stressed out.
When this pack of coatis crossed in front of my car, the adults made sure their youngest member was protected. Make Way for Coatis!
I saw this young squirrel monkey near Manuel Antonio. Squirrel monkeys are endangered, but their populations have been increasing in Costa Rica.
Baby red-eyed leaf frog.
Meet Luigi the two-toed sloth, an orphan at the Sloth Sanctuary in Cahuita.
There’s only one word for this photo: Adorbulous.
Plan the perfect Costa Rica vacation!
496 pages, full-color
Order Costa Rica: The Complete Guide
"This is my favorite guide book ever ... We discovered so many things we'd have otherwise missed!" —Lindzee McCain, May 2017
View on Amazon
