Costa Rica is one of the most biodiverse places on the globe. While encompassing just 1/3 of 1 percent of the planet’s landmass Costa Rica contains 4% of all species estimated to exist on earth, and hundreds of these species live nowhere else in the world. These endemic species include frogs, snakes, lizards, finches, hummingbirds, gophers, mice, cichlids, and gobies, among many more.

From colorful birds to scary crocodiles, to majestic jaguars and leopards, to monkeys, turtles, and of course, Costa Rica’s mascot the sloth, in all, Costa Rica is home to over 500,000 species of plants, flowers, and animals. A little more than 300,000 of these half-million species are, believe it or not, insects, including scorpions, millipedes, bees, spiders, butterflies, ants, and many more. With its 51 wildlife refuges, 32 national parks, 13 forest reserves, and 8 biological reserves, there is no doubt that Costa Rica is a destination of choice for nature lovers.

Approximately three to five million years ago, the country, along with the land we now call Panama, formed a sort of bridge between the North and South American continents. This bridge allowed for flora and fauna of the two continents to mix, creating an amazingly rich and diverse environment.

Costa Rica’s fantastic biodiversity can also be attributed to the great variety of ecosystems in the country. Within its 51,100 square KM of landmass, Costa Rica offers cloud, deciduous, and mangrove forests as well as tropical rain forests, tropical dry forest, and both an Atlantic and a Pacific coastline.

The ecological regions cover twelve climatic zones, a variation that provides a significant number of niches, filled by a beautiful diversity of species. Thanks to the population’s pride in their incredible wildlife, the government puts a concerted effort in legislating in favor of initiatives that help Costa Rica’s fauna and flora flourish. Making the country a leader in the fight against climate change & earning it the UN’s 2019 “Champion of the Earth” title.