Carara National Park

Region	Central Pacific
Town	Puntarenas
Creation Date	Jun-01-1978
Area	5242 ha
Category	National Park

Atractions and Services

Information	Nature Tours	Toilets
Water	Parking	Guides
Birds	Rain Forest

Image Gallery - (Click to Enlarge)


Carara National Park Images

Decree

D.E. #8491-A Jun-01-1978 Creation Law #6900 Dec-01-1983, Art. 3, Inc.1 D.E. #22480-mirenem Sept-10-1993 Regulation Public Use. D.e.#24429-mirenem Jul-26-1995 Amp 27411-minae 18-Nov-1998 Changed to National Park

Location

Conservation Area Central Pacific (ACOPAC)

Brief History

Was created to facilitate scientific investigations and studies, as well as to provide environmental education. It has numerous vestiges of pre-Columbian indigenous occupations. Fifteen archaeological sites have been located that correspond to two occupation times: the turkey pahes (300 A.c- years 300 years D.C.) and the Carthage Phase (800 years 1500 years D.C).

Detailed Location

Located in the margins of the River Grande de Tárcoles, to the southwest of Orotina, Puntarenas province

Main Plants

750 species of plants have been identified. Espavel is the main specie in this habitat. Some of the trees that standout for their size are the ceiba, guanacaste, gallinazo, guácimo Colorado, higuerón, guayabón and javillo.

Main Animals

Faunas are abundant despite of the reserve been isolated. Some types are saíno, the insipid horse, the hammer, guatusa, pizote, the raccoon, manigordo, the white face monkey , sloths, tolomuco, the deer and the four eyefox. A very showy bird by its beautiful plumage and because it has practically disappeared from the Dry Pacific, is red lapa. Other species are: trogón violáceo, pavón, colibrí, tucancillo, the guaco and the chocuaco. Some of the species are in danger of extinction.

Main Attractions

Have several ecosystems like bogs formed by seasonal floods from the river Grande de Tárcoles, a lagoon and gallery of forests , secondary and primary. These zones are rich in species like long-legged birds, amphibian and reptiles.