National Parks

TAPANTI

Area:
6,080 Ha

Location: In the Orosi district, in Paraiso de Cartago. Most of it is surrounded by the Macho River Forest Reserve.

This national park possesses two life zones: lower mountain rain forest (lower mountain slopes) and pre mountain rain forest (lowlands skirting the lower slopes).

Around forty-five species of mammals exist here. Some of them -like the tapir, paca, and cats like the ocelot, jaguarondi and tiger cat- are threatened with extinction. The red brocket deer, Eastern cottontail, kinkajou, raccoon, white-nosed coati, white-faced monkey, and agouti are other notable species found here.

Among the 260 species of birds, the resplendent quetzal, sparrow-hawk, guan, dove, parakeet, great tinamou, Montezuma oropendola, "tangara," and several types of finches and hummingbirds can be found..

The most typical vegetation of the area includes oaks, magnolias, iras, alder, monkey apple, didymopanax, several varieties of bromelias, mosses and ferns, and the poor man's umbrella.