Kenner's Adventure Tours

White-Faced Capuchin Monkey (Cebus capucinus)

– Size: Up to 45 cm (18 inches) tall, with a 55 cm (22 inches) tail.
– Weight: 2.5 to 3.5 kg (5.5 to 7.7 lbs).
– Habitat: Found in the canopy of mangroves and rainforests.
– Diet: Omnivorous—eats fruits, insects, small mammals, eggs, and sometimes birds.
– Behavior: Very intelligent. They use tools, such as sticks, to dig or extract food.
– Social Structure: Live in troops of up to 20 individuals, led by a dominant male.
– Cool Fact: They’re named after Capuchin monks because of the dark fur “hood” on their heads.
– Conservation Status: Least Concern, but habitat destruction is a growing threat.

Squirrel Monkey/Mono Titi (Saimiri oerstedii)

– Size: 25 to 35 cm (10 to 14 inches) tall, with a tail about the same length.
– Weight: 0.5 to 1 kg (1.1 to 2.2 lbs).
– Habitat: Found in the rainforests, mangroves, and lowland forests of Costa Rica.
– Diet: Omnivorous—feeds on insects, small vertebrates, fruits, and flowers.
– Behavior: Highly active and agile, they are constantly moving and foraging in the trees.
– Social Structure: Travel in groups of 20 to 75 individuals, making them highly social animals.
– Cool Fact: The Central American Squirrel Monkey is one of the smallest monkeys in the region and communicates through various vocalizations, including whistles and squeaks.
– Conservation Status: Vulnerable due to habitat destruction and human activities..

Mantled Howler Monkey (Alouatta palliata)

– Size: 50 to 92 cm (20 to 36 inches) in body length, with a tail as long as their body.
– Weight: 4.5 to 9 kg (10 to 20 lbs).
– Habitat: Prefer mangrove forests, lowland rainforests, and primary forests.
– Diet: Mostly leaves, but also eats fruits and flowers.
– Behavior: Loudest land mammal. They are famous for their deep, booming howls that can be heard up to 3 miles (5 km) away—used to communicate with other troops.
– Social Structure: Live in groups of up to 20 individuals, with a male-dominated hierarchy.
– Cool Fact: Their prehensile tail is used as a fifth limb to help them move through the trees.
– Conservation Status: Least Concern, though habitat fragmentation is a threat.

Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao)

– Size: Around 80 cm (31 inches) long.
– Habitat: Prefers tropical rainforests and mangroves.
– Diet: Fruits, nuts, and seeds.
– Cool Fact: Their vibrant red, yellow, and blue feathers make them one of the most stunning birds of Costa Rica.
– Conservation Status: Least Concern. With added protection for their habitat, Scarlet Macaws are making a comeback.

Green Iguana (Iguana iguana)

– Size: Up to 2 meters (6.5 feet) long.
– Habitat: Found in the trees along rivers and mangroves.
– Diet: Leaves, flowers, fruits—primarily a vegetarian.
– Cool Fact: Iguanas can fall from up to 50 feet and survive by using their claws to cling to branches or diving into the water!
– Conservation Status: Least Concern.

Northern Tamandua (Tamandua mexicana)

– Size: About 60 cm (24 inches) long, with a tail measuring 40 cm (16 inches).
– Habitat: Found in mangrove forests, lowland rainforests, and dry forests, often near rivers and streams.
– Diet: Specialized insectivores—primarily feed on ants and termites using their long, sticky tongues, which can extend up to 40 cm (16 inches).
– Cool Fact: Tamanduas do not have teeth; they crush insects with their powerful stomach muscles, however their tail is fully prehensile, helping them navigate through the treetops as they forage for food.
– Conservation Status: Least Concern, though habitat destruction can pose a threat to localized populations.

Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

– Size: Body length ranges from 40 to 70 cm (16 to 28 inches), with a bushy tail around 25 cm (10 inches) long.
– Habitat: Found in mangroves, rainforests, coastal regions, and even urban areas; raccoons are highly adaptable and thrive near water sources.
– Diet: Omnivorous—feeds on fruits, insects, small mammals, birds, eggs, fish, and invertebrates. They are excellent foragers.
– Cool Fact: Raccoons are famous for “washing” their food in water, a behavior thought to be a natural response to handling food near water sources, though not all raccoons do this.
– Conservation Status: Least Concern, as they are widely distributed and highly adaptable to different environments.

Opossum (Didelphis marsupialis)

– Size: Body length of 35 to 55 cm (14 to 22 inches), with a prehensile tail nearly as long.
– Habitat: Thrives in a variety of environments, including mangrove forests, rainforests, and even suburban areas.
– Diet: Omnivorous—eats fruits, insects, small mammals, birds, eggs, and carrion.
– Cool Fact: Opossums are marsupials, meaning females carry and nurse their young in a pouch. They are nocturnal and solitary; are known for “playing possum,” a defense mechanism where they feign death when threatened. Opossums are largely immune to snake venom and are one of the oldest surviving mammal species in their range.
– Conservation Status: Least Concern, as they are highly adaptable and resilient.

Boat-Billed Heron (Cochlearius cochlearius)

– Size: 50 cm (20 inches) in length.
– Habitat: Mangroves and riverbanks.
– Diet: Small fish, insects, and amphibians.
– Cool Fact: Known for its large, scoop-shaped bill, this bird is active mostly at night, fishing in the dark!
– Conservation Status: Least Concern.

Keel-Billed Toucan (Ramphastos sulfuratus)

– Size: 42 to 55 cm (16-22 inches) in length with a beak that can grow up to 20 cm (8 inces).
– Habitat: Mangroves and tropical rainforest canopies.
– Diet: Primarily frugivorous – eats a wide variety of fruits but will also consume insects, lizards and small birds.
– Cool Fact: Despite their large and colorful bills, toucans are light and efficient flyers. Their beak is made of keratin, making it strong yet hollow and lightweight!
– Conservation Status: Least Concern, though habitat loss poses and increasing threat to populations.

Great Egrit (Ardea alba)

– Size: 80 to 100 cm (31 to 39 inches) tall, with a wingspan of up to 170 cm (67 inches).
– Habitat: Found in wetlands, mangrove forests, rivers, and coastal areas. Egrets thrive in areas with access to shallow water where they hunt for prey.
– Diet: Carnivorous—feeds primarily on fish, amphibians, small reptiles, and insects. It hunts by wading slowly through the water or standing still, waiting to spear prey with its sharp bill.
– Behavior: Solitary hunters but often roost in colonies with other wading birds. They are diurnal and can be seen hunting at dawn or dusk.
– Cool Fact: The great egret’s long neck and spear-like bill make it a highly effective hunter, and it strikes with remarkable speed.
– Conservation Status: Least Concern, with stable populations, though habitat loss due to wetland destruction can pose threats to local populations.