I just bought a field guide for Costa Rica birds, so I should have a chance at identifying the different species.

What about the 4 different kinds of monkeys? Is there an easy way to identify which ones you are seeing?

Keith

The 4 different species are all distinctively different looking. The Howlers are black and largest of the species, the Spyders are brown and the next down in size, then comes the Capuchin which is sort of a greyish black with white face and markings and then the Titi which is a smaller monkey, reddish brown with some dark and light markings on the face. They are also different in shapes (their heads, limbs, etc). You'll see! This is my best description from memory, I'm sure you'll get something more useful from others.

And of course not "every" region of the country has all 4 types....

It's just like hip said, they are all very distinctly different; you won't have any problem telling them apart. If you wanted to, you could order a set of those laminated wildlife identification cards online. We got some before our trip and loved them - they have ones for mammals, birds, etc. Very helpful.

What part of the country are you going to?

Alajuela, Arenal, Monteverde and points in between.

Thanks for the help.

Keith

Also a Cano Negro tour, but there the guide will be able to identify species.

Keith

Definitely get a species identifier - you are going to see so many things especially if you hike by Arenal (I saw things we couldn't even identify - not monkeys). You will be lucky if you see Howlers...they LOVE to hide up high in the hills, or at least that was my experience. Have a blast - the wild life was my favorite part of Costa Rica!

You see lots of howlers in MA....

Just back from Panama where we were 5 nights on Isla Boca Brava where the tiny island had tons of howlers....our morning alarm clock!

Keith,

hipvirgochick's descriptions are on the money. If you read what she wrote, then google "costa rica monkeys" and hit "images" (google image search), you'll see pictures of all the different types.

I believe that unless you're in the MA/Quepos area (central Pacific coast) then you won't get to see the squirrel monkeys -- they're specific to that region only. Also, you'll be lucky to see Spider monkeys, as I've heard those are rarer. You'll most likely see (and hear!) howler monkeys (the big black ape-like ones) and the capuchins (smaller white-faced monkeys).

We've never seen Spider in MA area....we saw them on the Carib coast of Panama though.....

We've seen spider monkeys around Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui. They seem to be a bit trickier to find than the other species as others have noted above, although they are not infrequently seen from boat trips on the Sarapiqui and elsewhere in the Caribbean lowlands.

Both spider and squirrel monkeys are found on the Osa Peninsula in good numbers.

Good luck with your trip.

Jerry

We saw all 4 types at Bosque del Cabo on the Osa - so amazing. One day, I saw a troop of howlers, followed by a troop of capuchins, followed by a troop of spiders all from the front porch of our cabin - it was a great day. So amazing to see.