With its 35,000 acres of tropical rainforest, Piedras Blancas National Park, a former extension of the nearby Corcovado National Park (in the Osa Peninsula), protects some of the last remaining stretches of undisturbed lowland primary (or old growth) rainforest in Central America. Of all the land-based ecosystems in the world, tropical lowland rainforests are the most biologically diverse and serve as a refuge for many threatened species. The Park surrounding Playa Cativo is a critical last stand for an estimated 750 species of trees, 140 species of mammals, over 390 species of birds (with a number of species endemic to the region), 117 species of reptiles, and almost 10,000 species of insects.
Piedras Blancas offers visitors a chance to encounter rare and fascinating creatures, including all four species of monkeys (capuchin, howler, spider, and squirrel) found in Costa Rica, white-nosed coatis, two species of deer, kinkajous, agoutis, peccaries, and sloths. Although rarely seen during the day, the Park is home to five species of cats: jaguars, pumas, ocelots, margays, and jaguarondis.
In addition to offering a safe shelter to threatened species, Piedras Blancas has provided the site for several reintroduction projects. The vibrantly colored but endangered scarlet macaw is another creature that benefits from the remoteness of our forest.
Playa Cativo’s idyllic location is accentuated by the absence of neighbors, other than the park itself. The boundaries of our over 1,000-acre private reserve are rocky points and ridge tops encircling a mile of pristine beachfront closed off from the mainstream world.
