Four Different Types of Monkeys found on Costa Rica Rainforest

Costa Rica is indeed blessed with a variety of wildlife creatures accenting their rainforests. In fact, a rainforest tour on a holiday will never be complete without encountering any of the country’s amazing animals. There’s one type that you can’t get your eyes off on – monkeys.

Monkeys are definitely interesting, isn’t it? With all their intelligence and human-like behaviors, no wonder we are once categorized under this order. There are old world monkeys and new world monkeys, to which monkeys found all over Costa Rica belong to the New World ones. Distinguishing characteristics of these species are flat noses, unfurred faces and long, prehensile tails. In Costa Rica, four types of monkeys can be found – Spider monkeys, Squirrel monkeys, White-faced Capuchin monkeys and Howler monkeys. All of them are considered endangered. 

Howler Monkeys

Once in a protected monkey sanctuary, probably you will hear loud roars from a distance; do not worry about lions or tigers, because those loud sounds are coming from howler monkeys. Get it from their name, these growls they make in the morning are sign of their presence and mark their territories. Howler monkeys are considered to be the largest monkey species and the loudest land mammal in the world. They are easily distinguished by dark fur all over the body. They spend almost their entire life on tree canopies and feed on leaves and fruits.

Spider Monkeys

Spider monkeys have long and slender arms which help them cling and glide through trees easily. They also have a long, prehensile tail that is used as their fifth arm. Also, this kind of monkey is considered to be the most intelligent type in Costa Rica. They communicate through body gestures. In case when they are threatened with unwanted human presence, they throw off tree branches to scare them. 

White-throated Capuchin Monkeys

The Capuchin monkeys, also known as White-faced monkeys are the most occurring species of monkeys in Costa Rica. These monkeys live in groups from 5 up to 24 and are common at some national parks like in Corcovado and Manuel Antonio Park. They are known to be good snatchers of anything edible and sparkling objects. They are also very anxious when it comes to defending their territories shown by shaking trees.

Squirrel Monkeys

This monkey can be found only on Costa Rican lowlands. They are tiny monkeys feeding on small plants and insects. One interesting thing to know about squirrel monkeys is that, they do not use their long tails for climbing but for balancing, similar to cats.


Photo credits to: http://www.luminous-landscape.com/