At Sabalo Lodge, wildlife is not something you search for — it finds you. Day and night, animals move freely between the jungle and the lodge. Some stay hidden, others appear just a few steps from your cabin or tent. These videos are real moments captured by our cameras and guests. No staging, no guarantees — just the jungle as it truly is.
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Tayra captured on camera trap footage on our property in the tropical rainforest of Costa Rica. It moves quickly on the ground and in the trees, constantly exploring its surroundings.
Where: Sabalo Lodge, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica
Tip: Watch your surroundings during the day, as the tayra is mostly active in daylight and moves quickly between trees and on the ground.
The northern tamandua is a tree-dwelling anteater from the tropical rainforests of Costa Rica. It spends most of its time in the trees searching for ants and termites, which it catches with its long sticky tongue. It is mainly active in the evening and at night.
Where: Sabalo Lodge, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica
Tip: Look up into the trees around dusk or at night, when this animal is most active and easier to spot.
In this video, Deni will share a few basic facts about this cute animal.
Where: Sabalo Lodge and Corcovado
Tip: At Sabalo Lodge, coatis can be found on rainforest trails as well as near residential areas. Sometimes they can even be spotted directly on the path to the dock.
Camera trap footage shows a raccoon moving around the Sabalo Lodge area. It walks through the surroundings, searching for food and curiously exploring the space. In some clips, two individuals appear at the same time, possibly a pair. The video captures their natural behavior and subtle differences between visits.
Where: Sabalo Lodge; Osa Peninsula; Costa Rica
Tip: Raccoons appear almost every night at Sabalo Lodge. While they often walk through the living area, the best chance to observe them directly from your tent is in Tienda El Bosque. This tent is located opposite the bridge that raccoons use to cross from the jungle into Sabalo Lodge.
For the first time at Sabalo Lodge, we captured a tapir on our camera during the night. This shy and rarely seen animal moved quietly through the jungle just a short distance from where our guests stay. Moments like this show the true nature of Sabalo – wild, unpredictable, and alive.
Where: Sabalo Lodge – jungle trails area (red and yellow trail intersections, near El Tecal and fruit garden)
Tip: If you want to spot a tapir, stay quiet, look for fresh tracks in muddy ground, and watch areas near streams, wetlands, or forest paths, especially at night or early in the morning. In Sabalo Lodge, tapirs have been recorded around both intersections of the red and yellow trails, as well as along the path from El Tecal tent towards the fruit garden.
Night activity at Sabalo Lodge. Raccoons regularly move from the jungle into the lodge area using the bridge between Amapola and Tucancito. These intelligent nocturnal animals are among the most frequent night visitors and can often be observed quietly exploring the surroundings.
Where: Bridge between Tienda Amapola and Tienda Tucancito; beginning of the yellow trail near Tienda El Tecal
Tip: Raccoons appear almost every night at Sabalo Lodge. While they often walk through the living area, the best chance to observe them directly from your tent is in Tienda El Bosque. This tent is located opposite the bridge that raccoons use to cross from the jungle into Sabalo Lodge.
Macaws visit Sabalo Lodge regularly, often in large groups. They feed in the tree above Casa Lapa or in the area between the restaurant and the water channel leading to our dock. They are relatively calm and can be observed up close, but for good photos a camera with a strong zoom is recommended.
Where: Tree above the pool and Casa Lapa
Tip: Look for them mainly in the trees above Casa Lapa, or in the trees on the left side of the path leading from Casa Mono to the dock. Early morning and late afternoon are the best times, when they are most active and noisy.
The white-faced capuchin monkey is one of the most intelligent and curious animals of the rainforest. These social monkeys move through the treetops in groups, constantly communicating, playing, and searching for food. They are fast, observant, and often surprisingly close to people. At Sabalo Lodge, they are part of daily life and one of the most entertaining animals to watch.
Tip: Look up into the treetops — capuchins move high above the ground across the entire forest. In the living area of Sabalo Lodge, they are most often seen in the trees above the entrance gate and also below Casa AraCari, in the direction of the stream. There is also a feeding spot near the restaurant where we leave banana leftovers, and capuchins often come for them. If you hear something hitting the metal roof, it is usually them — they sometimes do the same near the dock.
A rare night encounter with an ocelot at Sabalo Lodge. This elusive wild cat was recorded moving calmly through the forest and along the main crossing routes inside the lodge area. The footage shows its natural behavior as it navigates between the jungle and human space — a moment that proves how close wildlife truly is here.
Where: Intersection of the red and yellow trails near the bridge with the main camera; further along the red trail towards the intersection with the blue trail
Tip: The best place to look for an ocelot in Sabalo Lodge is at the intersection of the red and yellow trails near the bridge, where there is a WiFi access point and a large camera. Move quietly, especially at night, and be patient.