Palo Verde National Park protects a vast area of the Tempisque River basin in northwestern Costa Rica. It encompasses 13 different habitat zones, making it one of the most biologically diverse areas in Costa Rica. The park is relatively inaccessible, reachable mainly by boat and 3 well-maintained hiking trails that reach to the interior all the way to the Rio Tempisque and Rio Barbados. The wetlands are home to crocodiles wallowing on the muddy riverbanks and myriads of waterbirds including the Jabiru. The park is also home to the only nesting colony of Scarlet Macaws in the drier northwestern part of Costa Rica.
