This is the northernmost Pacific coastal rain forest remaining intact in Costa Rica, and is the transition zone into the tropical dry forests of the northwest.
Carara is one of Costa Rica’s most popular National Parks, in large part due to its proximity to San José.
Carara is a favourite with bird watchers for several reasons besides its ease of access. First, its position in a transition zone means that residents of both habitats are likely to appear. Second, the Río Grande de Tárcoles has free flowing sections and its waters seep into seasonal marshlands and a shallow oxbow lake covered with hyacinths further expanding the number of distinct local habitats to nearly a dozen. Finally, because it is slightly dryer and not all of the trees are evergreen, Carara is more open than the rainforests further south making wildlife spotting easier.
A few of the local animals include Opossum, Two-toed Sloth, Agouti, Armadillo, Pacas, Great Anteater, Kinkajou, Tayra, Margay cat, Collared Peccary, White-tailed Deer, Poison-arrow Frogs, and the omnipresent monkeys.

Birds- Collared Aracari, Fiery-billed Aracari, American Egret, Great Tinamou, Turkey vulture, Long-billed Gnatwren, Chestnut-backed Antbird, Black-hooded Antshrike, Keel-billed Toucans, Anhinga, Jacanas, Pied-billed Grebes, Mexican Tiger-bitterns and Boat-billed Herons.