Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [205]
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Tarantula
Easily identified by its enormous size and hairy appendages, the tarantula is an intimidating arachnid perfectly capable of killing animals as large as mice, birds and lizards. Surprisingly, however, most species are completely harmless to humans.
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REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS
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More than half of the 220 species of reptiles in Costa Rica are snakes, though fortunately there are only a couple of deadly ones to watch out for. Of the 160 species of amphibians, the frogs and toads garner the most attention, and are being studied by ecologists as early warning indicators of climate change.
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Fer-de-lance
Literally ‘iron of the lance,’ this much vilified pit viper can be anything from olive to brown or black in color, and has a warning pattern of Xs and triangles on its back – take heed as this snake is not to be trifled with.
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Bushmaster
An aptly named lord of its terrain, the bush-master is the world’s longest viper, and the only neotropical specimen known to lay eggs. The snake is usually tan-colored with dark diamond-shaped blotches, and is capable of multiple-bite strikes.
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Basilisk
This bright-green lizard is notable for the huge crest running the length of its head, body and tail. Common along watercourses in lowland areas, it has the appearance of a small dinosaur.
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Poison-Dart Frog
The Dendrobatidae family of frogs has skin glands exuding toxins that can cause paralysis and death in animals. Indigenous populations traditionally used them as a poison for the tips of their hunting arrows.
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Whiptail Lizard
The most frequently seen reptile in Costa Rica is this abundant lizard, which has a white stripe running down its back. Take particular note of the juveniles, who often have distinct metallic-blue tails.
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Golden Toad
Now extinct, this golden-colored amphibian was once found throughout the high-altitude cloud forests. It’s now believed that its sudden disappearance can be attributed to a fungal epidemic possibly brought on by global warming.
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Green Iguana
This stocky beast is regularly encountered draping its 2m-long body across a branch over water. Despite their enormous bulk, iguanas are incessant vegetarians, and prefer to eat young shoots and leaves.
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Red-Eyed Tree Frog
The unofficial symbol of Costa Rica, these boldly colored amphibians have red eyes, green bodies, yellow and blue side stripes and orange feet. Despite this vibrant coloration, they’re well camouflaged in the rainforest, and rather difficult to spot.
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Crocodile
One of nature’s most perfect predators, the crocodile is an ancient species with an evolutionary history stretching back more than 200 million years. True apex predators, crocodiles will eat anything they can seize with their massive jaws.
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Boa Constrictor
An enormous nonvenomous snake, the boa is nevertheless an efficient predator capable of dispatching prey through constriction. Relying on brute muscle and girth, a boa can strangle cat-sized prey before swallowing it whole.
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LAND MAMMALS
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Although land mammals inhabit all of Costa Rica’s multitudinous biomes, the rainforest in particular captures the imagination of most people. Here, you’ll find fierce predators and their crafty prey, as well as a few extended members of our primate family tree.
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Sloths
Costa Rica is home to the brown-throated three-toed sloth and Hoffman’s two-toed sloth. Both are 50cm to 75cm in length with stumpy tails, and tend to hang motionless from branches,