Piedras Blancas National Park facts for kids

Piedras Blancas National Park is a special place in southern Costa Rica. It is found in the Puntarenas Province, close to a town called La Gamba. This park protects amazing rainforests and beautiful beaches along the Pacific Coast, near a gulf called Golfo Dulce.

The park used to be part of another big park, Corcovado National Park, until 1999 when it became its own park. For a while, much of the forest in the park was in danger from people cutting down trees.

The park has rugged mountains and two important rivers, the Esquinas and Piedras Blancas rivers. These areas are covered in thick, green forests. These forests are home to many rare tropical trees. They also provide a home for lots of different birds, mammals, and reptiles. In the past, illegal hunting was a problem. But more park rangers were hired, and now illegal hunting has gone down.

Some parts of the park were owned by private people. However, a group from Austria called "Rainforest of the Austrians" has been raising money to buy these lands. This helps make sure these areas are protected forever. The Costa Rican government and other groups have also bought land in Piedras Blancas. This means that over 80% of the park is now protected.

Amazing Animals of Piedras Blancas

Mammals in the Park

Scientists have studied the mammals in Piedras Blancas National Park. They found 96 different kinds of mammals!

• Carnivores: These are meat-eating animals. They include raccoons, coatis, kinkajous, and skunks. There are also five types of wild cats: jaguars, ocelots, margays, jaguarundis, and pumas. It's very rare to see a wildcat because they are shy and mostly active at night.
• Sloths and Anteaters: Two-toed sloths are not common in the main forest but can be seen near the coast. Sadly, the giant anteater has not been seen in about 20 years and is now gone from the park. However, other anteaters like the northern tamandua and the silky anteater have been spotted.
• Monkeys: You might often see white-faced capuchin monkeys and squirrel monkeys. Howler monkeys are usually heard and seen along the Golfo Dulce coast. Spider monkeys have also been seen more often since 2006.
• Other Mammals: Five types of opossums live here, including the Mexican mouse opossum. Rodents like agoutis, pacas, and several kinds of mice, squirrels, and rats are also found.
• Bats: Bats are the most common mammals in the park, with 53 different species! Most of them eat fruit. The vampire bat, which feeds on blood, has also been found near La Gamba.

Amphibians and Reptiles

Many scientists have studied the amphibians and reptiles in Piedras Blancas National Park. They have found 37 types of amphibians and 42 types of reptiles!

• Frogs: You are likely to see colorful frogs like the red-eyed leaf frog or poison-arrow frogs. There are also tree frogs, glass frogs, and cane toads. At night, you can hear a wonderful concert of frog calls.
• Lizards: Basilisks and iguanas often hang out near streams. Anole lizards can be seen in gardens, and geckos chase insects inside buildings at night.
• Snakes: The most common and dangerous snake is the fer-de-lance. Other snakes like coral snakes, vine snakes, boa constrictors, and pit vipers are sometimes seen.
• Crocodilians: Spectacled caimans live in ponds. Larger rivers and swampy areas are home to American crocodiles.

See also

In Spanish: Parque nacional Piedras Blancas para niños