As mentioned in previous posts, the Baird’s tapir is the largest land mammal in Central and South America. For this series of wide-angle images, I sat quietly on the ground for about an hour while the tapir slowly came closer and closer, foraging in the leaf litter. I kept going wider and wider with my lensing, and eventually he was right in front of me, so I reached for my 17-35mm. A few sniffs later he turned around and continued on in the opposite direction. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 20mm) ISO 3200, f/2.8 at 1/200th of a second.

White-faced capuchin monkeys, otherwise known as white-throated or white-headed capuchin monkeys, are the most commonly seen of Costa Rica’s four (non-human) primate species. I saw this one down on the Osa Peninsula at Drake Bay. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 260mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/640th of a second.

The giant neotropical toad also goes by marine toad and cane toad. These are the guys that were introduced to northern Australia to disastrous results (a story for another day). In Costa Rica they are natives and quite common to spot on night walks. I photographed this one at La Selva, not far from the capital of San José. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 310mm) ISO 800, f/8 at 1/60th of a second, two Nikon SB-900 flash units.

Agoutis look a bit like guinea pigs only larger and with longer legs. This guy was enjoying some sort of seed pod snack deep in the rainforest of Corcovado National Park in southwestern Costa Rica. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 3200, f/4 at 1/80th of a second.

Squirrel monkeys are the smallest of the four species of monkey found in Costa Rica. I was down on the Osa Peninsula near the Panama border when a troop of these little guys came for a visit — eager to feast on the red berries that were ripening on the local trees. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 175mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/180th of a second.

After doing my research, I realize there’s not a lot written about the black-shouldered antshrike. What I can tell you — it’s small, it’s black, it has little white spots and it was photographed in Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 3200, f/4 at 1/160th of a second.

La Selva is a protected rainforest about an hour from the capitol of Costa Rica that hosts all sorts of wildlife biologists and other scientists studying various aspects of the area’s flora and fauna. I’ve seen a great deal of wildlife there in my three visits, perhaps the most conspicuous being the peccaries that come out to the open areas to forage in the late afternoon. This is a collard peccary, taking a quick break before getting that head back down into the grass. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 3200, f/2.8 at 1/100th of a second.

These guys are very small — only about an inch in length. They’re mostly spotted on the ground in leaf litter, but they also climb trees. In fact, mother’s will climb to the top of tall rainforest trees to deposit their tadpoles in the water of bromeliad plants growing from branches near the canopy. They are also called blue jeans frogs, as you can see from those legs. I photographed this one in central Costa Rica. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 190 with Canon 500D close up filter) ISO 100, f/5 at 1/6th of a second.

Kind of like a squirrel, but not really (I mean, look at those elegant legs — nothing like our eastern greys). These guys are known as Central America’s gardeners because of their habit of burying nuts and seeds and then forgetting where they put them, inadvertently growing trees and other plants. I photographed this one many years ago on the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 250, f/3.2 at 1/10th of a second.

These coatis really seemed to be enjoying themselves. They look like they were laughing hysterically but they were actually resting, cleaning themselves and scratching their backs on the rocks. I was deep in the woods of Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica when I spotted a group of about 20 of them. I sat still for quite a while and they went about their business as if I wasn’t there. Always a bonus of hiking solo and being patient. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 1600, f/3.2 at 1/160th of a second.