Serpentarium
Quick Facts
- Location : Santa Elena
- Telephone : 2645-6002
- Hours : 9 a.m.- 8 p.m.
- Entrance Fee : $12 guided, $10 for students, $9 unguided
The grey eyes of the Bushmaster shine like polished charcoal from the corner of its glass enclosure. A half-inch of glass is all that stands between visitors and the largest venomous snake species in the New World; one of more than 20 species at Monteverde's Serpentarium.
read more closeNearby, what appears as a golden necklace strewn over a branch is, in fact, the golden-eyelash palm pit viper. Across the exhibit, Costa Rica's most dangerous snake sleeps coiled under a log – the fer-de-lance – known for its aggression, speed and neurotoxic venom.
These snakes and others are part of the Serpentarium's growing collection designed to showcase the beauty and ferocity of Costa Rican snakes in a safe environment. Beside the enclosures, the Serpentatirum provides information about the snakes including how to identify them, where they live and when they are awake.
Other than snakes, Santa Elena's only serpentarium features two turtle species, two lizard species and two frog species including the black and green poison dart frog and the blue jean poison dart frog. An amphitheater is currently under construction as of May 1st, 2013, and is expected to be finished within the month. (Santa Elena. 9 a.m.- 8 p.m.; $12 guided, $10 for students, $9 unguided, 6 and under is free; 2645-6002)