KnowKi

Learn the wildlife of national parks

Learn the wildlife of Arenal National Park

Costa Rica

2,817 species have research-grade observations inside Arenal National Park on iNaturalist. KnowKi turns the most recorded into short lessons with real photos, so you know what you're looking at before you go.

Start this trip in KnowKi →
Āki the kiwi, KnowKi's guide

Most recorded here

The species with the most research-grade observations on iNaturalist, and how many each has. Most recorded doesn't mean native.

Birds

  1. Crested Guan Penelope purpurascens696
  2. Montezuma Oropendola Psarocolius montezuma654
  3. Rufous-tailed Hummingbird Amazilia tzacatl653
  4. Scarlet-rumped Tanager Ramphocelus passerinii640
  5. Yellow-throated Toucan Ramphastos ambiguus432
  6. Green Honeycreeper Chlorophanes spiza394
  7. Golden-hooded Tanager Stilpnia larvata351
  8. White-throated Magpie-Jay Cyanocorax formosus341
  9. Collared Aracari Pteroglossus torquatus338
  10. Red-legged Honeycreeper Cyanerpes cyaneus323

Plants

  1. Giant mottled-leaf werauhia Werauhia kupperiana338
  2. Fire-star orchid Epidendrum radicans268
  3. Spiked kohleria Kohleria spicata200
  4. Philippine Ground Orchid Spathoglottis plicata186
  5. Columnea purpurata163
  6. Expanded Lobsterclaw Heliconia latispatha148
  7. Beehive ginger Zingiber spectabile133
  8. Rattlesnake Plant Calathea crotalifera117
  9. Rainbow Gum Eucalyptus deglupta114
  10. Golden-Lipped Sobralia Sobralia chrysostoma114

Mammals

  1. White-nosed Coati Nasua narica1,284
  2. Mantled Howler Monkey Alouatta palliata178
  3. Variegated Squirrel Sciurus variegatoides163
  4. Central American Agouti Dasyprocta punctata149
  5. Northern Tamandua Tamandua mexicana103
  6. Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth Bradypus variegatus100
  7. Central American White-faced Capuchin Cebus imitator63
  8. Collared Peccary Pecari tajacu49
  9. Central American Tapeti Sylvilagus gabbi16

Insects

  1. Banded Peacock Anartia fatima156
  2. Hairy-headed leafcutter ant Atta cephalotes109
  3. Golden Froghopper Mahanarva costaricensis95
  4. Rhinoceros Katydid Copiphora rhinoceros86
  5. Chromacris trogon73
  6. Central American Montane Tiger Beetle Pseudoxycheila tarsalis73
  7. Julia Heliconian Dryas iulia64
  8. Peruvian Shield Mantis Choeradodis rhombicollis64
  9. Banded Owl-Butterfly Caligo atreus63
  10. Iphidamas Cattleheart Parides iphidamas61

Spiders and kin

  1. Golden Silk Spider Trichonephila clavipes311
  2. Red-thighed Bromeliad Spider Cupiennius coccineus124
  3. Argiope submaronica74
  4. Phiale formosa48
  5. Spot-legged Bromeliad Spider Cupiennius getazi45
  6. Tengella radiata23
  7. Costa Rican orangemouth tarantula Psalmopoeus reduncus18
  8. Black-edged Bark Scorpion Centruroides limbatus16
  9. Spinybacked Orbweaver Gasteracantha cancriformis14

Reptiles

  1. Central American Eyelash-Viper Bothriechis nigroadspersus852
  2. Middle American Ameiva Holcosus festivus705
  3. Border Anole Anolis limifrons170
  4. Mourning Gecko Lepidodactylus lugubris119
  5. Green Basilisk Basiliscus plumifrons104
  6. Ornate Cat-eyed Snake Leptodeira ornata95
  7. Terciopelo Bothrops asper85
  8. Cloudy Snail-eating Snake Sibon nebulatus57
  9. Neotropical Green Anole Anolis biporcatus55
  10. Stream Anole Anolis oxylophus52

Amphibians

  1. Red-eyed Tree Frog Agalychnis callidryas841
  2. Brilliant Forest Frog Lithobates warszewitschii280
  3. Harlequin Treefrog Dendropsophus ebraccatus259
  4. Masked Tree Frog Smilisca phaeota252
  5. Giant Toad Rhinella horribilis180
  6. Mahogany Tree Frog Tlalocohyla loquax143
  7. Savage's Thin-toed Frog Leptodactylus savagei139
  8. Wet Forest Toad Incilius melanochlorus56
  9. Strawberry Poison Dart Frog Oophaga pumilio54
  10. Fitzinger's Robber Frog Craugastor fitzingeri51

How a trip works

A trip has its own trail of lessons: meet six species, match them to new photos, then practice with four choices. Species you learn go into your Fieldbook, and starting a trip earns its Passport stamp. Your home place stays as it is.

Start this trip in KnowKi →

Species lists and counts from research-grade observations on iNaturalist, as of October 2026. Parks outside the U.S. are from the World Database on Protected Areas (UNEP-WCMC and IUCN, Protected Planet). KnowKi is not affiliated with the National Park Service or any park's managers. Free, with no ads, no account, and no purchases.