This small peninsula on the Pacific coast plays host to almost half of Costa Rica's species of birds, as well as more than 100 species each of mammals and amphibians. A whopping 750 trees species have also been catalogued in the area (more trees than in all of the northern temperate regions of the world combined), and the tropical primary forest is home to monkeys, scarlet macaws and coatimundis, among many others. The 43,000-hectare Corcovado National Park occupies a large swathe of the Osa Peninsula, with its ecosystems comprising a patchwork of rainforests, swamps, rivers, lagoons, marshes and beaches.
These habitats shelter a plethora of endangered species, including Baird's tapir, the white-lipped peccary, jaguars, ocelots, crocodiles, giant anteaters, scarlet macaws and the harpy eagle. In the surrounding seas, you’ll find three species of marine turtles and if you opt to visit in December or January, you can witness the migration of humpback whales. On the other side of the peninsula sits the Golfo Dulce, a sheltered area of ocean ideal for kayaking, visits to mangrove swamps or hiking and wildlife viewing at the Piedras Blancas National Park. Finally, forest-covered Caño Island is a biological reserve which offers superb snorkelling and deep freshwater experiences for experienced divers, with large schools of jacks, barracudas, manta rays and sharks. It doesn't get more intense than Osa Peninsula and Golfo Dulce holidays in terms of wildlife and biodiversity.
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