Corcovado National Park, in southern Costa Rica, shelters a tropical rain forest ecosystem like no other in Central America. National Geographic magazine described Corcovado as "the most biologically intense place on earth." Within this vast, remote and untouched jungle, dense green foliage sprouts gigantic over-sized leaves, thick vines and towering tree ferns, all thriving on the abundant rainfall that gives the forest its name. About a quarter of the country's tree species are represented inside this unique wilderness, as well as hundreds of species of mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles.

Location: This park is located on the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica, on the western side of the Osa Peninsula, in the Puntarenas Province.

Size: 54,538.9 hectares / 134,765.6 acres

Marine extension: 2,400 hectares / 5,930.4 acres

Created: October 24, 1975

Corcovado National Park is a living example of the complex interactions taking place within the tropical wet rain forest ecosystem. This biologically rich wilderness includes about 500 different species of trees (a quarter of all tree species in Costa Rica), more than 360 species of birds, 104 mammals, 116 amphibians and reptiles, 40 species of freshwater fish and an astounding 6,000 insect species (including about 125 different types of butterflies).

Habitats inside the park include humid tropical forests, montane forests, cloud forests, swamp forests, herbaceous swamps, mangrove forests, coastal vegetation and holillo forests, which are composed almost exclusively of holillo palms. The lush region receives an enormous amount of rain - precipitation levels in the some areas of the park exceed 5 meters (16.4 feet) per year.

The most impressive tree species in the park include the purple heart tree, nargusta, banak, cow tree, crabwood and the silk cotton tree, which grows to heights of more than 70 meters (230 feet). The freshwater herbaceous swamp, known as Corcovado Lagoon, covers approximately 1,000 hectares (2,471 acres) and serves as a refuge for a variety of turtles, snakes, toads and frogs, salamanders, caimans and crocodiles, including the endangered American crocodile.

The park protects various other endangered and threatened species, including wild cats and the largest populations of scarlet macaws in the country, as well as several endemic bird species.

Endangered Corcovado mammals include Baird's tapir, commonly seen in the swampy areas around Corcovado Lagoon, the white-lipped peccary, giant anteater, jaguar, cougar and ocelot. All four species of monkeys found in Costa Rica inhabit Corcovado National Park: howler, white-faced capuchin, spider and squirrel monkeys. Several species of marine turtles come ashore to nest at the wide beach at Llorona.

Interesting birds seen inside the park include the king vulture, white hawk, northern jacana, crested guan, great tinamou, pale-vented pigeon, chestnut-mandibled toucan, orange-fronted parakeet, tiger heron and various species of colorful hummingbirds. The world's largest bird of prey, the harpy eagle, has also been sighted inside the Corcovado wilderness, although rarely.

The Corcovado National Park office is located in Puerto Jiménez.

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