In the fauna of Costa Rica there are 231 species of mammals. Of these there are 23 aquatic species of which 21 correspond to cetaceans, one to a marine carnivore and the other to the manatee. The rest, 208 species are purely terrestrial.
Before humans began to hunt the national fauna there were more species of mammals and in greater numbers. Today the country’s large mammals have been hunted to near extinction and are only abundant in the largest protected areas.
These are the most common mammals in our country, arranged according to families and their generic order:
Carnivorous:
Caucel
Weasel
Coyote
Jaguar
Raccoon
Ocelot
Pizote
Cougar
Marsupiala:
Hairless Fox
Edentata
Cusuco
Guatuza
Anteater
Sloth
Artiodactyla:
Danta
Whitetail deer
Zaino
Lagomorpha
White-tailed Rabbit
Rodentia:
Chiza or Squirrel
Rat of camp
Tepezcuintle
Primates:
Spider monkey
Squirrel monkey
White-faced monkey
Congo monkey
Tapiridae
Cetaceans:
Dolphin
