Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge

Cano Negro, Costa Rica

Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge is an area of lowlands that are seasonally flooded forming lakes and marshes which offer a safe haven for a variety of fauna, particularly large numbers of migratory waterfowl and other bird species. Cano Negro is excellent for bird-watching from mid-November to April and shouldn't be missed as a visitor will typically see cattle egrets, wood storks, roseate spoonbills, white ibis, black-bellies tree ducks and Neotropic cormorants to name a few. However, during the dry season (April to November) the main lake dries up and Cano Negro is relegated to small lagoons, channels, ditches and strips of beach and although there is an abundance of birds, there's not as many wading birds. The forests, grasslands and marshes of Cano Negro are also home to a variety of endangered species like cougars, tapirs, jaguars and ocelots but also tayras, sloths, otters, and Howler, White-Faced Capuchin and Spider monkeys. Tortoises, caymans, and some 30 species of freshwater fish reside in the rivers at Cano Negro. The gar fish which is considered to be a living fossil is also found there.

Hey guys, michael alan here and D'Angelo from the Doing Costa Rica section of TravelCostaRicaNow.com We're here in Cano Negro on the boarder of Nicaragua and Costa Rica. And If you guys ever come out to La Fortuna or this part of the country you have to come down to Cano Negro... This is where you'll see all the wildlife. You're going to see the monkeys, Alligators... not alligator, what do you call them.... Caymans, the birds, lots of different birds. lot of birders come out here. A lot of people come from La Fortuna, Costa Rica, and you can get a tour out of La Fortuna, Costa Rica but if you have a rental car you can come out here yourself and do what we're doing... We just bargained out own boat and we save some good money doing it. Oh, and on the way you definitely want to stop in Muelle, Costa Rica. Muelle is a town where there are Iguanas everywhere. When you pull in there is a bridge and there are iguanas everywhere. Ya, so what we're going to do is were going to take you down... this is the Rio Frio, we're not actually on the Cano Negro wildlife Refuge or the National Park. And when you get sold a tour that says you're going to Cano Negro National Park more likely your not going to Cano Negro National Park, you're going to the Rio Frio. So don't be confused, You'll see not as much but enough wildlife on the Rio Frio as you would going down the actual Cano Negro. So it's all good..... Here's some of the wildlife....


Hey everybody, so we're just starting out and we got a little boat. We got a good deal on it. For four people it was $50.


... well, that was cano negro, costa rica. we definitely recomend Cano Negro especially if your a nature lover. You'll all the animals we showed you if not more. Well, form Cano Negro there's trips coming out there from La Fortuna (most of the trips are from La Fortuna). and they usually run about $45 - $65 a person. Per Person.... hey, we did this... if you have a rental car you can do it yourself... go up to the boarder (Los Chiles) and do it... we did it for $50 .... 4 of us did it for $50 total... They were asking for $70 for the 4 of us, but as soon as they saw us walking away to go ask another tour guide they dropped ti down to $50... you might get a better deal then that depending on supply and demand.

But you want to stop here.... we're in Muelle, Costa Rica which is known for the iguanas all over the place. their huge iguanas some around 6 feet long. and ranging in colors from line green, to dark green, orange, to brown. Great photo op. come out and get those great photos. The tours will stop in this area, but you rental car people dont want to miss it so definitely stop in Muelle.

Hope this helps and hope you guys come out and see it...
for TravelCostaRicaNow.com I'm michael alan and I'm D'Angelo ... Peace...

Nationaal Wildreservaat Cano Negro - Costa Rica