Wildlife Watching in Manuel Antonio National Park

Information

Wildlife watching is an activity that attracts a multitude of visitors to Manuel Antonio National Park. Upon entering the protected area, the number of tourists looking for species, either self-guided or with the help of guides, is striking. There is a good system of trails to help with this activity.

Starting with mammals, along the trails you can cross the Central American agouti (Dasyprocta punctata), the white-nosed coati (Nasua narica) and the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). It is very common to see raccoons, but consider that in the park there are two species that are difficult to differentiate between them with the naked eye, which are the crab-eating raccoon (Procyon cancrivorus) and the northern raccoon (Procyon lotor). Common species such as the mantled howler monkey (Alouatta palliata), panamanian white-throated capuchin (Cebus imitator), Hoffmann's two-toed sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni) and brown-throated sloth (Bradypus variegatus) can be seen in the trees. A primate of great interest that is often seen is the black-crowned Central American squirrel monkey (Saimiri oerstedii), an endangered species that inhabits only this side of the Pacific.

IMPORTANT: Raccoons, monkeys and coatis often approach tourists in search of food. It is recommended not to feed them, avoid getting too close and never touch them to avoid accidents. Also be careful because these animals tend to attack bags or belongings.

A variety of amphibians and reptiles can be found. The common spiny-tailed iguana (Ctenosaura similis), a large iguana with wide dark stripes, is everywhere, and can be easily distinguished from the common green iguana (Iguana iguana), which is also present in the park but in smaller numbers. Among the vegetation you can see some frogs with striking colour patterns, such as the green and black poison frog (Dendrobates auratus).

Some species of crabs also attract attention, especially the abundant Halloween crab (Gecarcinus quadratus).