Costa Rica Nature Conservation, Environment Issues

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Costa Rica

Costa Rica was the Conservancy's first international program.

January 2009. Marbled ray (Taeniura meyeni) in the waters of Cocos Island National Park in Costa Rica. Cocos Island was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997. © Jeff Yonover

About 25 percent of tiny Costa Rica’s land area has been set aside in national parks and protected areas — perhaps not surprising given the government’s goal for it to become the first carbon-neutral country by 2021. Its features include mountains, volcanoes, waterfalls, lakes and islands.

Its largely tropical climate supports a rich variety of flora (including numerous orchids) and fauna (from monkeys and sloths to birds and reptiles).

Features

A colorful Mexican Hogfish (Bodianus diplotaenia) swims among Leather Bass (Dermatolepis dermatolepis) in the waters of Cocos Island National Park in Costa Rica. Cocos Island was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997. © Jeff Yonover

Cocos Island National Park

Costa Rica has created the country’s biggest marine protected area.

A baby Olive Ridley sea turtle is gently held before release near Carate beach on Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. © David Woodfall

Seeing Turtles Right

Five of the seven species of sea turtles live in the Pacific or Caribbean shores of Central America.

Roasted and ground cocoa beans (beanlike seeds from which cocoa, cocoa butter, and chocolate are made) being. © Ami Vitale

Strength in Numbers

Natives of the Talamanca Indigenous Reserve sustain their way of life by sharing it with visitors.

Across the Americas

Birds and Coffee
We helped complete a census of birds in coffee-growing zones of the tropical Andes.

Western Finger Lakes
The Western Finger Lakes is an ecosystem of forests, wetlands, and streams centered around four of the most intact Finger Lakes: Hemlock, Canadice, Honeoye and Canandaigua Lakes.