Reptiles of Costa Rica

Reptiles are intriguing creatures that most commonly inhabit the ground, however some of them are avid climbers and swimmers. While a lot of them are harmless to us, some do attack humans, although those attacks are most frequently caused due to us messing with them. Venomous snakes are among the most feared creatures, since they can lurk in the dark and bite without warning; their poison may be able to kill within hours or even minutes. Crocodiles also inspire fear, but due to the incredibly powerful bite that they possess. But even if dangerous to us, they do not stop being fascinating.

The species below are organized according to the families in the Reptiles of Costa Rica: A Field Guide book by Twan Leenders, an essential tool to identify each photograph to a species. I have made an effort to base my species description on my own observations and words, but undoubtedly have included details from the book itself where relevant. I claim no exclusive rights to those details and encourage visitors with an interest in species identification to purchase the guide. For the more serious reptile lover, look at Jay Savage’s The Amphibians and Reptiles of Costa Rica: A Herpetofauna between Two Continents, between Two Seas. This is a comprehensive 934 pages book with everything between Costa Rica history, identification keys, photographs and full description accounts for each known species. It was published in 2005 so some species and classifications have changed since, but as a reference book it is a wonder. A copy of this book is found at Yatama Ecolodge.