By: César Barrio Amorós – Fotos: Doc Frog Photography
Reptilandia Serpentarium and Research Center
There are many serpentariums in Costa Rica, but none like Reptilandia, which is the largest and most diverse. The half-hectare facility is located 8 km from Dominical on route 243 towards San Isidro and exhibits 81 species of reptiles and some poisonous frogs from four native amphibian species.
Quetzal Dwyer is the owner, and his main interests are the poisonous snakes, rare lizards, and turtles.
He has put together one of the most diverse and impressive collections of reptiles in Latin America; one example is Langka, the only Komodo dragon in Latin America. There are also a couple of pig turtles from New Guinea, which are the only river turtles with fins similar to the marine ones.
In addition, you can admire different exotic and native snake species (from olive pythons to the tiny bocaracás); lizards of all types, including the varano lizard from Indonesia and Gila monsters from the Mexican desert;and also beautiful Costa Rican species like the coral scorpion, which is neither Scorpio, nor coral but a lizard.
Quetzal is the only person in Costa Rica who has successfully managed to reproduce the black headed bushmaster, the largest and most venomous snake in the Southern Pacific.
Agalychnis callidryas
Corallus hortulanus
Reptilandia stands out because the facility’s arrangement and appearance allow the reptiles to feel at home.
The conscientious work of Roel de Plecker, reptile expert and habitat builder, has helped the animals to adapt and be comfortable in their new environment. Reptilandia is open to visitors, but is also a research center, and provides an ongoing contribution to science through herpetology findings in Central America.
Prices: Residents: 4000 / foreigners: 6000 col.
