The Children’s Eternal Rainforest

Natural History of the BEN

In the BEN, one can find 6 out of the 12 life zones present in Costa Rica, as well as a diverse variety of habitats and ecosystems that span from 450 to 1800 meters above sea level. The richness of the BEN’s biological diversity has been well documented through a large amount of scientific investigation. The BEN has a count of 60 species of amphibians, 101 species of reptiles, 425 species of birds, and 121 species of mammals that represent 50.5% of the total species of terrestrial vertebrates in Costa Rica. In addition, the BEN protects the habitat of the jaguar, the umbrella bird, the three waddled bellbird, and many unique species of amphibians. The BEN also houses many plant species, including trees, orchids, and bromeliads, as well as other species of insects and reptiles of equal importance. The tapir, which is the largest terrestrial mammal in Costa Rica, is present in the BEN. This is the reason the Monteverde Conservation League has adopted the tapir as its logo, as a symbol of the BEN’s magnitude and vulnerability.