Located off the beaten path, on the unspoilt Caribbean coast, Samasati is surrounded by 250 acres of primal rainforest. This exact region is one of the most biologically diverse places on the planet. Within our sanctuary, you’ll find several accessible rainforest trails that guide you through a wonderland of flora and fauna. You won’t need to visit a National Reserve or Animal Park to see two toed or three toed sloths, tropical birds, howler and capuchin monkeys, iguanas, butterflies, mammals, frogs, snakes and more. Pack your camera, it’s time for a jungle adventure!
With the highest percentage of protected land area of any country in the world, tropical birding in Costa Rica is simply incredible with over 800 species of birds who either migrate or live here year round! At Samasati we share space with some of the world’s must see birds, in the form of the spectacular Resplendent Quetzal, Scarlet Macaws, Chestnut Mandibled Toucans, Brown Pelicans and Magnificent Frigatebirds, which are often readily visible. Other sightings can include Cherrie’s Tanagers, Summer Tanagers, Northern Jacanas, Boat Billed Flycatchers, Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Red-capped Manakins, Red-legged Honeycreepers, Turquoise Cotingas, Scarlet-rumped Caciques, White-vented Euphonias, Yellow-billed Caciques, Eastern Meadowlarks.
Not only will you spot an incredibly diverse array of birds, but Costa Rica is also home to a wide variety of insects, including approximately 1,250 species of butterflies and 8,000 species of moths. Many visitors look for the dazzling Blue Morpho, which is popular for its iridescent blue wings. Other commons species include the banded peacock, zebra longwing, glasswing, and king swallowtail.
For a complete list of butterflies and moths found at Samasati, check out the compilation of Bob & Karen Yukich.
Three toed sloths are built for life in the treetops. They spend nearly all of their time aloft, hanging from branches with a powerful grip aided by their long claws. (Dead sloths have been known to retain their grip and remain suspended from a branch.) Sloths even sleep in trees, and they sleep a lot – some 15 to 20 hours every day. Even when awake they often remain motionless. At night they eat leaves, shoots, and fruit from the trees and get almost all of their water from juicy plants. Sloths mate and give birth while hanging in the trees. Three-toed sloth babies are often seen clinging to their mothers — they travel by hanging on to them for the first nine months of their lives. On land, sloths’ weak hind legs provide no power and their long claws are a hindrance. They must dig into the earth with their front claws and use their strong front legs to pull themselves along, dragging their bellies across the ground. If caught on land, these animals have no chance to evade predators, such as big cats, and must try to defend themselves by clawing and biting. Though they couldn’t be clumsier on land, sloths are surprisingly good swimmers. They sometimes fall directly from rain forest trees into rivers and stroke efficiently with their long arms. The three-toed sloth emits a long, high-pitched call that echoes through the forests as “ahh-eeee.” Because of this cry these sloths are sometimes called “ais” (pronounced “eyes”). Three-toed sloths also have an advantage that few other mammals possess: They have extra neck vertebrae that allows them to turn their heads some 270 degrees.
Adult Howler at Samasati
Baby Howler at Jaguar Rescue
Capuchin Monkey at Cahuita
These frogs are mostly terrestrial, though some individuals were observed 50 m up in trees while transporting tadpoles to tree holes. Adult frogs are diurnal and active during the whole day. In the drier habitats of the Pacific versant, many morphs are inactive during the dry season and dwell the leaf litter only after rain showers. Both sexes tend to be territorial. Females try to monopolize strong males and are very aggressive towards female counterparts. Depositing of eggs and the larval development occurs in the leaf litter. Brood care is done in general by the male. Hatching tadpoles are transported separately by the male to small seasonal pools in tree holes, big leaves, or in small depressions of river rocks. Tadpoles feed mainly on arthropod larvae and tend towards cannibalism if other food is lacking.
Two lined poison dart frog
Oxyrhopus petolarius is crespuscular and nocturnal, terrestrial, semiarboreal inhabitant of primary tropical rain forests. At night, Oxyrhopus petolarius actively forages at ground level or on vegetation. During the day, it hides under surface objects. It is a mildly venomous predator of lizards, snakes and mammals (including bats). The snake constricts and swallows small prey whole and alive but envenomates larger prey. . Males of Oxyrhopus petolarius perform head movements to courtship females. Breeding is seasonal. The eggs are laid under debris.
Golden Orb Spider
Ameiva Lizard
