Cano Negro National Wildlife Refuge is a remote tropical everglade teeming with wildlife. The 9,969-hectare reserve protects a lush lowland basin of soft, knee-deep watery sloughs and marshes, holillo groves, and tan carpets of sturdy sedge. Live here revolves around Lake Cano Negro, a seasonal lake fed by the fresh waters of the Rio Frio, which snake down from the flanks of Tenorio volcano and collect in this basin, where they slow almost to a standstill.
In the wet season, when the region is flooded and great pools and lagoons form, vast number of migratory waterfowl flock in, turtles, crocodiles, and caimans in abundance bask on the banks, and as you look down into waters as black as Costa Rican coffee you may see the dim forms of big Snook, silver-gold tarpon and garish garfish lurking in the shadows. In February, the dry season sets in (it generally lasts through April), Cano Negro dries out, and the area is reduced to shrunken lagoons. Caiman gnash and slosh out pools in the muck, and wildlife congregate in abundance along the watercourses.
Cano Negro National Wildlife Refuge is a birdwatcher's paradise. The reserve protects the largest colony of neotropic cormorants in Costa Rica and the only permanent colony of Nicaraguan grackle. Cattle egrets, wood storks, anhingas (also known as needle duck), roseate spoonbills, and other waterfowl gather in their thousands. The bright pink roseate spoonbill is one of Cano Negro's most spectacular wading birds. It is named for its spatulate bill, some 15-19 cm long, which it swings from side to side as it munches insects or small shellfish. Another favorite is the anhinga, a bird as adept underwater as in the air you can see it solo of by the dozen, preening way up in the cypress trees.
The reserve is remarkable, too, for its healthy population and endangered mammal species, including jaguars, cougars, tapirs, ocelots and monkeys playacting. And the crocodile colony of Cano Negro is perhaps the best protected in Costa Rica, though caimans are far more numerous and easily seen.
Cano Negro National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1984. The climate is warm and humid. As from December 1991, this area was declared Wetlands of International Importance.
Reaching Cano Negro National Wildlife Refuge is easy due to the excellent conditions of a well paved road departing from Muelle, a village located between Ciudad Quesada and La Fortuna. From Muelle, the road takes you on an almost straight line to a detour just four miles before reaching Los Chiles. From there, the refuge is located about 8 miles on a gravel but in good shape road. Tours departing from La Fortuna usually offer Cano Negro as a one day tour, however, there is more to see and one day is never enough. If planning to stay longer than one day in Cano Negro, we recommend you to establish contact with us as soon as possible
For more information
on Quepos Real Estate and Manuel Antonio Vacation Rentals, or to
schedule an exciting tour, please contact Manuel Antonio Estates:
