Wildlife Guides

A tremendous number of wild animals live in the area. Although not as many as such places as the Osa Peninsula, which is considered to possibly be the most biologically diverse place on earth, Montezuma and vicinity still have hundreds of species of birds, hundreds of trees, dozens of mammals, reptiles, thousands of insects, and a seemingly infinite variety of species in the oceans as well.

For more articles on various animals, click one of the photos below:

Land Animals Guide

Ocean Animals Guide

Articles on a few species are below:

• Happy Tails Dog and Cat Rescue Project
  Happy Tails Montezuma is made up of a small group of volunteers. Our core group includes Julie Kliska, Penny Goodwill, Shawnnah Farkas, Tania Munguia, Ammi Modin, and Bee Barth. We rescue street dogs and cats whenever possible. We bring them to the vet (we work with both Deanne and Eduardo) for treatment ...
• Squirrel
  Height/Weight: Squirrels are generally small animals, ranging in size from the African Pygmy Squirrel at 7–10 cm (2.8–3.9 in) in length and just 10 g (0.35 oz) in weight, to the Alphine Marmot which is 53–73 cm (21–29 in) long and weighs from 5 to 8 kg (11 to 18 lb). Life Span: About 6 years Habitat: Squirrels can survive in almost any habitat from ...
• Coyote
  Life Span: A coyote’s life span is in maximum of 10 years if it’s in the wild and 18 years if it’s in captivity. Height/Weight: An adult 40-46″ in length and weighs 25-33 lbs. 19-25 lbs. Habitat: Their habitats are extremely diverse. They can be found everywhere from plains to mountains to dry arid deserts and tropical ...
• Scarlet Macaw
  Spanish Name: Guacamayo Rojo, Lapa Habitat: Lives in elevated trees of deciduous or tropical evergreen jungles. Lifespan: 40-50 years in the wild and up to 75 years in captivity. Height/Weight: An adult Scarlet Macaw is 84 cm long and weighs 900 g. This vividly colored, medium-sized macaw is the only one of its kind found on the Pacific side ...
• Raccoon
  Height/Weight: Size: The Raccoon is a mammal of medium size, measuring 0.65 to 0.96 meter in length. It weighs between 6.5 and 16 kg. The male is usually larger than females. Life Span: Raccoons usually survive for only 2 or 3 years in the wild, though they are also known to live for 13 years. The ...
• Deer
  Height/Weight: The largest species of deer is the Moose that is 5-7 ft tall and weighs around 800-1500 lbs. The smallest species of deer is the Pudu. It is 13-17 inches long and weighs 32lbs. The White Tailed Deer varies in size. Average life span: They average life span of a white tailed deer is 7-10 ...
• Cougar
  Spanish Name: Leon Habitat: Cougars are adaptive creatures that can be found in a variety of habitats from temperate, coniferous forests to low, multistrata, and tropical rainforests. Height/Weight: Adult males can be more than 2.7 m long with a tail 60-70 cm long and weigh 60-100 kg. Females are smaller, 1.5 to 2.3 m total in length. ...
• Coati
  Spanish Name: Pizote Height/Weight: Adult males generally weigh 6 kg, and are 1.1 to 1.2 m long with a tail 0.500 to 0.6 m long; females are smaller. Average life span: The average life span of a coati is 7-8 years in wild and around. Habitat: The coati lives in a range of forests, from temperate oak ...
• Sloth
  Height/Weight: Three-toed sloths are about the size of a small dog or a large cat, with the head and body having a combined length of around 45 cm (18 in) and a weight of 3.5–4.5 kg (8–10 lb) Life Span: About 25-30 years. Habitat: Found in the trees of South and Central America. Now virtually extinct in ...
• Tayra
  Spanish Name: Tayra Lifespan: The average lifespan Tayra is about 18 years in captivity. Height/Weight: Head and body length is 60 to 68 cm, with a tail 38 to 47 cm; they can weigh more than 5 kg. Habitat: Found in tropical evergreen forests but also exist in dry deciduous forests; they live below elevations of 1,200 m. The ...

• Malpais Tidepool Life – A Rainbow World
  A colorful miniature world lives secretly in Malpais, within the tidepools of Mar Azul. Here, a couple dozen tidepools of various sizes offer an incredible array of colorful life, each different than the next. One can’t help but wonder why there’s such diversity from pool to pool, when they’re all very near to each other, ...
• Orca Whales
  Orca whales live in the waters on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, and are occasionally seen near Montezuma. Offering a wide range of activities in a sublime ambience, Montezuma has become a booming hot spot for aquatic and land sports, wildlife viewing, leisurely retreats and a lot more. Scuba diving and snorkeling are enjoyed ...
• Nudibranchs – One of the World’s Most Amazing Creatures
  Costa Rica and Montezuma are known for the big fish in their waters. Whitetip sharks, manta rays, different species of whales and much more are all found in the diving spots here. However, one shouldn’t overlook the smaller guys out there. Diving across the pacific coast of Costa Rica can be an amazing experience for ...
• Whale Watching
  Many people ask me about whales… where are they, how can we see them, what time of year, etc? Costa Rica is famous for whales, and there are many species that come here seasonally, to have their babies in its protected bays and coves. Humpback Whales The most common type of whale that you may see ...
• Dolphins – Seen all Year in Montezuma
  While you may see dolphins at any time of year in Montezuma, they’re actually pretty rare to see from the town or beaches. Sometimes you’ll see a group of them swimming past, but you’re most likely to spot them from one of the boat tours, such as a sport-fishing trip, a journey to Tortuga ...