Some Reptiles of Costa Rica

Those black-necked stilts in the previous post share the river with these fellows. According to our guide, Costa Rica is home to the third-largest crocodiles in the world, after the Australian and the Nile. So we've now managed to check "see world's three largest crocodile species in the wild" off our bucket list.


Meanwhile, the trees along the river were full of green iguanas - except that the males had turned orange for the breeding season.


The river also hosted the Basilisk. No, not the evil serpent-lizard of the Harry Potter movie. The real basilisk, better know as the Jesus Christ lizard because it runs across the top of the water.

But the real reptile sighting of our Costa Rica trip--sorry no photos--was the Yellow-bellied Sea Snake. We got a great look at one--very beautiful and highly venomous--while cruising back from a snorkeling trip.