Costa Rica Travel Hub

Location
Barra Del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge is situated in Limon Province, bordering the Barra Del Colorado River, along the Caribbean coast. This region is swampland, without any wooded vegetation, and the soil is also not fertile. However, this place has a rich potential for tourism and possesses a wide range of wildlife.

Topography
Barra Del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge has a 50-kilometer long coastline, and 92,000 hectares of channels, lagoons, rivers, river islands, forests, marshes and holillo forests. Besides, the region has two-thirds of its land submerged in water, which also includes over 2,700 hectares of marshes.

Flora and Fauna
Barra Del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge offers an ideal haven to some of the rare and endangered species of flora and fauna. Faunal distribution in refuge largely comprises West Indian Manatee, Caymans, Crocodiles, Gars and various genres of tarpon. It also offers sanctuary to tapirs, jaguars, cougars, howler and white faced capuchin monkeys, ocelots, jaguarundies, and three-toed sloths. The bird population includes species such as osprey, keel billed toucan, neoptropic cormorant, blue heron, white hawk, great tinamou, curassow, and red-lored amazon.

Tourists are also delighted to see large populations of monkeys and seasonal birds. Glossy ibis, black-necked stilt, anhinga, American widgeon, northern shoveler, wood stork, white ibis, black-bellied whistling-duck, snail kite, green backed heron, and blue-winged teal are some of the birds that are common to the sight of tourists. There are sights of rare species of amphibians, which abound the banks of streams.

Fauna includes scarce vegetation cover in the form of rain forests and marsh swamps.

Facilities
Tourists would not be able to find any public park facilities at this national wildlife refuge. Further, Barra Del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge has established a biological station that conducts research investigations, and can be reached only by canal boat.

Attractions
Tourists that come to visit Barra Del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge enjoy the spectacle of migration of Bull Sharks, from the Atlantic Ocean upriver to Lake Nicaragua, peculiar to the San Juan River.

The Wildlife Refuge is also a sanctuary to the hot and humid forests, mangroves, canals and marine areas on the northern Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica. Also, Caño Palma Biological Research Station is located at Barra Del Colorado, which is directly managed and controlled by COTERC.

Bird watching, fishing, nature tours are some of other activities that are common in this region.

Costa Rica National Parks

Arenal National Park Ballena National Park Barra del Colorado National Wildlife Refuge Barra Honda National Park Braulio Carrillo National Park Cabo Blanco Absolute National Reserve Cahuita National Park Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge Carara National Park Chirripó National Park Corcovado National Park Curú National Wildlife Refuge Gandoca-Manzanillo National Wildlife Refuge Golfito National Wildlife Refuge Guanacaste National Park Guayabo National Monument Hitoy-Cerere Biologic Reserve Isla Bolaños National Wildlife Refuge Isla del Caño Biologic Reserve Isla del Coco National Park (World Heritage status) Islas Guayabo, Negritos and Pájaros Biologic Reserves Juán Castro Blanco National Park La Amistad International Park Las Baulas Marine National Park Lomas Barbudal Biologic Reserve Manuel Antonio National Park Orosi (Tapantí) National Park Ostional National Wildlife Refuge Palo Verde National Park Rincón de la Vieja National Park Santa Rosa National Park Tamarindo National Wildlife Refuge Tortuguero National Park Volcán Irazú National Park Volcán Poás National Park Irazu Volcano National Park