Costa Rica herping question

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Aneides Aeneus
Posts: 47
Joined: November 15th, 2014, 8:54 am
Location: Lexington, KY

Costa Rica herping question

Post by Aneides Aeneus »

Hey guys,

This summer my parents and I are thinking of spending 2-3 week in June herping in Costa Rica. I am super excited, but we have hardly planned at all, and we aren't sure what to do, so I thought I'd ask you all for advice. Firstly, what are some good areas in Costa Rica for herping? We are most interested in snakes, but also salamanders, frogs, and all other herps. Are there any experts in Costa Rican herps who I could contact for advice? What are some of the good ways of finding herps in Costa Rica in June?

Thanks so much in advance for your help - I look forward to your advice.

-Ananth
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the_cw1
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Joined: April 2nd, 2015, 8:30 am
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Re: Costa Rica herping question

Post by the_cw1 »

The whole country is good for herping. When I was there, I saw more lizard diversity at a bus stop than in my whole state (Oregon at the time). If you're there with your family, so I'm assuming you are young(ish), I would highly recommend a guide. Most parks require it btw. If you're on the gulf side, Cahuita park does not require a guide and is great for eyelash vipers. I saw well over 10 in a single day without much effort.

Here is *the book* on herps in CR: https://www.amazon.com/Amphibians-Repti ... ica+savage

You need to narrow your search:
1) Where are you going specifically? Most areas force you to stay on trail. That isn't necessarily a problem as most animals are easy to find.
2) What do you want to see? Fer-de-lance? Red-eye tree frogs? There's huge variety but they're not necessarily exclusive.
3) How often can you go out at night? I would *strongly* advise against trying to go out alone at night if you're not experienced. Get a guide. And, if you do, get good rubber boots that are thigh/knee high. You don't want to step on a viper.

I suggest talking with your family, figuring out what they want, and going from there. Many resorts/hotels offer guided night tours. If you're at Monteverde, for example, palm vipers should be easy to find with an experienced guide.
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