No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeNewsCorcovado National Park: A Haven for Unique Wildlife

Corcovado National Park: A Haven for Unique Wildlife

Corcovado National Park is a remarkable site, home to rare species of plants and animals, many of which are unique to the area and protected there. It hosts the world’s largest populations of the Turquoise Cotinga (Cotinga ridgwayi), the Yellow-billed Cotinga (Carpodectes antoniae), and the Mangrove Hummingbird (Chrysuronia boucardi). It is also the habitat of the Black-faced Ant-Tanager (Habia atrimaxillaris), the smallest orchid in Costa Rica (Platystele tica), and the tallest tree species in all of Central America (Huberodendron allenii).

According to the University of Costa Rica (UCR), one hectare of forest on the Osa Peninsula contains more tree species than a similar area in the Brazilian Amazon. This includes true giants such as the emblematic black garlic (Anthodiscus chocoensis), the camíbar (Copaifera camibar), and the recently discovered black guapinoles (Hymenaea osanigraseminae and Prioria peninsulae).

The park protects the largest continuous and highest-quality stretch of Pacific Rainforest, an endangered ecosystem located in a narrow strip spanning southern Costa Rica and western Panama. UCR biologists consider it a sensitive and vulnerable ecosystem, noting that the Osa Peninsula is home to more than 3% of the planet’s biodiversity.

The UCR Biology faculty emphasizes that new species continue to be discovered in the forests of Corcovado National Park. Between 1990 and 2005, extensive scientific efforts led to the description of 57 new plant species on the Peninsula, 52 of which are endemic, meaning they exist nowhere else in the world.

Corcovado National Park and the Osa Peninsula have received numerous international recognitions and awards. Among them, BirdLife International and its partners designated Corcovado as an “Important Bird Area” on a global scale.

Similarly, the prestigious National Geographic Society has named Corcovado the most biologically intense place on Earth. “This represents extraordinary recognition for our country, but also an enormous conservation responsibility that all Costa Ricans share,” stated the UCR.

UCR specialists stress that Corcovado National Park urgently needs further protection, warning that without additional conservation initiatives, the park’s biodiversity could face significant threats.

Trending Now

Costa Rica’s Tourism Minister Dismisses Crime and Currency Concerns

Tourism Minister William Rodríguez López addressed growing concerns about crime and the strengthening colón’s impact on Costa Rica’s tourism industry, asserting that these issues...

Guatemala and U.S. Strengthen Cooperation on Migration and Transnational Crime

Migration and drug trafficking dominated a meeting on Friday between U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Guatemalan President Bernardo Arévalo, according to...

Costa Rica’s New Extradition Law Faces Limits in Tackling Organized Crime

Costa Rica’s Legislative Assembly passed a constitutional amendment in May, allowing the extradition of nationals for international drug trafficking and terrorism. With 44 of...

Costa Rica’s Social Crisis Deepens Amid Political Clashes

Costa Rica is sliding into a state of structural violence fueled by political clashes, social division, and weakening institutions, according to a new National...

Costa Rica’s 2025 Flamingo Fishing Rodeo Highlights Sport and Conservation

With great fishing and a renewed focus on family fun, the Presidential Flamingo Fishing Rodeo presented by Marina Flamingo is set to take center stage in the world...

Costa Rica’s Ojochal: From Farms to Luxury Tourism Hub

Ojochal, a small town in between the Pacific Ocean and the Fila Costeña in Costa Rica’s Osa, isn’t the sleepy agricultural community it once...
spot_img
Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica