Playa Zancudo is just a short boat ride across the Golfo Dulce from the amazing Corcovado National Park on the Osa Peninsula of southern Costa Rica. Many of our visitors come to Zancudo on their way to or,
just after enjoying a visit to this world renowned National Park .
just after enjoying a visit to this world renowned National Park .
Corcovado National Park
Corcovado National Park (Spanish: Parque Nacional Corcovado) is a National Park on the Osa
Peninsula in southwestern Costa Rica (9° North, 83° West), which is part of
the Osa Conservation Area. It was established on 24
October 1975, and encompasses an area of 425 km² (263 mi²). It is
widely considered the crown jewel in the extensive system of national parks and
biological reserves spread across the country. The ecological variety is quite
stunning. National Geographic has called it "the most
biologically intense place on Earth in terms of biodiversity". Not only is the
park very popular with tropical ecologists, a visitor can expect to see an
abundance of wildlife. One should come well prepared though (see below).
The park conserves the largest primary forest on the American Pacific
coastline and one of the few remaining sizeable areas of lowland tropical rainforests in the world. Logging
usually takes place in lowland areas because those areas are more accessible and
contain the largest and most economically valuable trees. But those habitats are
also usually the richest in biodiversity. So even though still approximately
half the tropical rainforests on Earth remain, what is left of the originally
rich lowland tropical rainforests is usually too small to support the original
natural biodiversity. Larger animals, especially, need a large habitat free of
human activity. Unfortunately this means that even tourism, the economic
incentive for Costa Rica and other developing nations to preserve and protect
parks such as Corcovado, actually threatens the long-term biodiversity of the
park.
Peninsula in southwestern Costa Rica (9° North, 83° West), which is part of
the Osa Conservation Area. It was established on 24
October 1975, and encompasses an area of 425 km² (263 mi²). It is
widely considered the crown jewel in the extensive system of national parks and
biological reserves spread across the country. The ecological variety is quite
stunning. National Geographic has called it "the most
biologically intense place on Earth in terms of biodiversity". Not only is the
park very popular with tropical ecologists, a visitor can expect to see an
abundance of wildlife. One should come well prepared though (see below).
The park conserves the largest primary forest on the American Pacific
coastline and one of the few remaining sizeable areas of lowland tropical rainforests in the world. Logging
usually takes place in lowland areas because those areas are more accessible and
contain the largest and most economically valuable trees. But those habitats are
also usually the richest in biodiversity. So even though still approximately
half the tropical rainforests on Earth remain, what is left of the originally
rich lowland tropical rainforests is usually too small to support the original
natural biodiversity. Larger animals, especially, need a large habitat free of
human activity. Unfortunately this means that even tourism, the economic
incentive for Costa Rica and other developing nations to preserve and protect
parks such as Corcovado, actually threatens the long-term biodiversity of the
park.
