Crocodiles in Costa Rica

Costa Rica has a very large population of the American Crocodile, the largest or second largest specie of crocodile in the world, together with the Australian Saltwater Crocodile. The American Crocodile can grow in excess of 18 feet, but it is not as aggressive as the infamous Salty in Australia. However, there have been quite a few attacks, most of them deadly. Attacks include an attack to a man swimming in a lagoon, a fishermen swimming in a deep river, a man crossing a wide portion of estuary in Guanacaste and a man running along wetlands and shores of the Terraba River. Use your common sense and do not swimming large deep rivers, slow moving rivers nor rivers. Avoid swimming near river mouths, estuaries and wetlands. There is another specie of crocodilian called the caiman which is harmless to humans. Rivers with an especial abundance of crocodiles are Tarcoles, Terraba, Tempisque, Sirena, Lagarto, Coto, Tortuguero, Sixaola and others.