Jaragua National Park

🇩🇴 Dominican Republic

🦎 Rhinoceros Iguanas on the Dry Coast
🌍 #281 Global · 2.9 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #47 in Central America #119 in Tropical Forest
Southwest Coast, Dominican Republic 438 spp. recorded

Jaragua National Park lies on the southwest coast of the Dominican Republic, protecting a mosaic of tropical dry forest, mangrove fringes and shallow lagoons. The landscape opens onto sandy bays and limestone cliffs, and it is noted for the endemic rhinoceros iguana that basks on rocky outcrops.

17.628° N   71.572° W

Wildlife

SIGHTING PROBABILITY Share of citizen-science records from the park that report this species
<5%
Rare5–20%
With luck20–40%
Possible40–70%
Likely>70%
Very likely
ACTIVITY PATTERN
☀️ Diurnal 🌙 Nocturnal 🌅 Crepuscular ☀️🌙 Day & Night

⭐ Iconic Species

Rhinoceros Iguana ★
EN Endemic

Rhinoceros Iguana

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Cyclura cornuta

60–70% · Likely
American Flamingo ★
LC

American Flamingo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Phoenicopterus ruber

30–40% · Possible
Haitian Solenodon ★
LC Endemic

Haitian Solenodon

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Solenodon paradoxus

Insufficient data
Ricord's Ground Iguana ★

Ricord's Ground Iguana

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Cyclura ricordi

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Tricolored Heron
LC

Tricolored Heron

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Egretta tricolor

70–80% · Very likely
Barahona Curlytail Lizard
LC Endemic

Barahona Curlytail Lizard

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Leiocephalus barahonensis

60–70% · Likely
Snowy Egret
LC

Snowy Egret

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Egretta thula

60–70% · Likely
Royal Tern

Royal Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus maximus

60–70% · Likely
Common Moorhen
LC

Common Moorhen

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gallinula chloropus

50–60% · Likely
Great Egret
LC Endemic

Great Egret

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ardea alba

50–60% · Likely
Yellow Warbler
LC Endemic

Yellow Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga petechia

50–60% · Likely
Greater Yellowlegs
NT

Greater Yellowlegs

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa melanoleuca

50–60% · Likely
Blue-winged Teal
LC

Blue-winged Teal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spatula discors

40–50% · Likely
Reddish Egret
NT

Reddish Egret

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Egretta rufescens

40–50% · Likely
Lesser Yellowlegs
VU

Lesser Yellowlegs

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa flavipes

40–50% · Likely
Little Blue Heron
LC

Little Blue Heron

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Egretta caerulea

40–50% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Haitian Solenodon ★
LC Endemic

Haitian Solenodon

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Solenodon paradoxus

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Waterhouse's Leaf-nosed Bat
LC Endemic

Waterhouse's Leaf-nosed Bat

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Macrotus waterhousii

Insufficient data
🐒 No photo available
LC Endemic

Cuvier's Hutia

🌙 Nocturnal Mammal

Plagiodontia aedium

Insufficient data
Mongoose

Mongoose

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Herpestes javanicus

Insufficient data

⭐ Iconic Species

American Flamingo ★
LC

American Flamingo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Phoenicopterus ruber

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Tricolored Heron
LC

Tricolored Heron

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Egretta tricolor

70–80% · Very likely
Snowy Egret
LC

Snowy Egret

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Egretta thula

60–70% · Likely
Royal Tern

Royal Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Thalasseus maximus

60–70% · Likely
Common Moorhen
LC

Common Moorhen

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gallinula chloropus

50–60% · Likely
Great Egret
LC Endemic

Great Egret

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ardea alba

50–60% · Likely
Yellow Warbler
LC Endemic

Yellow Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga petechia

50–60% · Likely
Greater Yellowlegs
NT

Greater Yellowlegs

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa melanoleuca

50–60% · Likely
Blue-winged Teal
LC

Blue-winged Teal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spatula discors

40–50% · Likely
Reddish Egret
NT

Reddish Egret

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Egretta rufescens

40–50% · Likely
Lesser Yellowlegs
VU

Lesser Yellowlegs

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa flavipes

40–50% · Likely
Little Blue Heron
LC

Little Blue Heron

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Egretta caerulea

40–50% · Likely
Brown Pelican
LC

Brown Pelican

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pelecanus occidentalis

40–50% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Rhinoceros Iguana ★
EN Endemic

Rhinoceros Iguana

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Cyclura cornuta

60–70% · Likely
Ricord's Ground Iguana ★

Ricord's Ground Iguana

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Cyclura ricordi

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Barahona Curlytail Lizard
LC Endemic

Barahona Curlytail Lizard

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Leiocephalus barahonensis

60–70% · Likely
Hispaniola Ameiva
LC Endemic

Hispaniola Ameiva

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Pholidoscelis chrysolaemus

40–50% · Likely
Dwarf Teiid
LC Endemic

Dwarf Teiid

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Pholidoscelis lineolatus

40–50% · Likely
Desert Gracile Anole
LC Endemic

Desert Gracile Anole

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Anolis brevirostris

30–40% · Possible
Bahoruco Long-snouted Anole
VU Endemic

Bahoruco Long-snouted Anole

☀️🌙 Day & Night Reptile

Anolis bahorucoensis

20–30% · Possible
Strahm's Anole
EN Endemic

Strahm's Anole

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Anolis strahmi

Insufficient data
Island Pointed Snake
NT Endemic

Island Pointed Snake

☀️🌙 Day & Night Reptile

Uromacer frenatus

20–30% · Possible
Barahona Anole
EN Endemic

Barahona Anole

🌅 Crepuscular Reptile

Anolis barahonae

Insufficient data
Barahona Green Anole
Endemic

Barahona Green Anole

☀️🌙 Day & Night Reptile

Anolis viridius

Insufficient data
Haitian Ameiva
LC Endemic

Haitian Ameiva

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Pholidoscelis taeniurus

Insufficient data
Isla Beata Anole
EN Endemic

Isla Beata Anole

☀️🌙 Day & Night Reptile

Anolis longitibialis

Insufficient data
Hispaniolan hopping anole
VU Endemic

Hispaniolan hopping anole

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Anolis barbouri

10–20% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

Eastern Cane Toad
LC

Eastern Cane Toad

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Rhinella marina

Insufficient data
Barahona Rock Frog
LC Endemic

Barahona Rock Frog

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Eleutherodactylus alcoae

10–20% · With luck
Hispaniolan Common Treefrog
LC Endemic

Hispaniolan Common Treefrog

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Osteopilus dominicensis

Insufficient data
Abbott's Robber Frog
LC Endemic

Abbott's Robber Frog

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Eleutherodactylus abbotti

Insufficient data
La Selle Red-Legged Frog
CR Endemic

La Selle Red-Legged Frog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Eleutherodactylus furcyensis

Insufficient data
Hispaniolan yellow-mottled frog
LC Endemic

Hispaniolan yellow-mottled frog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Eleutherodactylus pictissimus

Insufficient data
Spiny Giant Frog
CR Endemic

Spiny Giant Frog

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Eleutherodactylus nortoni

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🦩

Flamingo Congregation at Oviedo Lagoon

MarAugOct

Large flocks of American Flamingos gather to feed on brine shrimp in the shallow hypersaline Oviedo Lagoon, the Dominican Republic's largest flamingo colony

American Flamingo
LC

American Flamingo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Phoenicopterus ruber

30–40% · Possible
🐢

Sea Turtle Nesting

MarAprMay

Sea turtles nest on the park's protected beaches around Bahía de las Águilas during the season, with rangers monitoring and relocating threatened nests

Green Turtle
LC

Green Turtle

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Chelonia mydas

Insufficient data
🐦

Winter Waterbird Congregation

DecJanFeb

The Ramsar-listed Oviedo Lagoon wetlands concentrate wintering and resident waterbirds, including the threatened Reddish Egret and flocks of White Ibis

Reddish Egret
NT

Reddish Egret

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Egretta rufescens

40–50% · Likely
White Ibis
LC

White Ibis

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Eudocimus albus

30–40% · Possible

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Species Total
50–60
60–70
50–60
40–50
30–40
40–50
40–50
40–50
50–60
40–50
30–40
60–70
Rhinoceros Iguana
70–80
70–80
60–70
60–70
30–40
60–70
60–70
70–80
80–90
50–60
70–80
70–80
American Flamingo
20–30
30–40
40–50
30–40
40–50
30–40
30–40
40–50
40–50
60–70
10–20
20–30
Haitian Solenodon
20–30
50–60
<5
<5
<5
5–10
5–10
5–10
5–10
<5
20–30
20–30
Ricord's Ground Iguana
<5
40–50
<5
5–10
5–10
5–10
5–10
5–10
5–10
<5
5–10
5–10
Tricolored Heron
70–80
70–80
60–70
80–90
50–60
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
80–90
40–50
70–80
Barahona Curlytail Lizard
60–70
50–60
70–80
50–60
80–90
70–80
50–60
80–90
60–70
60–70
70–80
70–80
Snowy Egret
80–90
70–80
70–80
40–50
40–50
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
80–90
30–40
70–80
Royal Tern
70–80
60–70
50–60
60–70
40–50
60–70
60–70
50–60
60–70
50–60
30–40
80–90
Common Moorhen
70–80
60–70
50–60
60–70
30–40
50–60
50–60
40–50
50–60
50–60
40–50
60–70
Great Egret
40–50
60–70
50–60
40–50
40–50
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
40–50
60–70
Yellow Warbler
50–60
50–60
60–70
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
40–50
50–60
30–40
60–70
Greater Yellowlegs
50–60
70–80
50–60
30–40
20–30
50–60
50–60
40–50
40–50
50–60
20–30
60–70
Blue-winged Teal
70–80
60–70
60–70
30–40
20–30
40–50
40–50
30–40
50–60
20–30
20–30
60–70
Reddish Egret
50–60
60–70
50–60
50–60
30–40
40–50
40–50
30–40
40–50
20–30
10–20
60–70
Lesser Yellowlegs
60–70
50–60
40–50
50–60
20–30
40–50
40–50
40–50
40–50
20–30
20–30
60–70
Little Blue Heron
60–70
50–60
60–70
20–30
20–30
40–50
40–50
30–40
50–60
40–50
10–20
60–70
Animal Events
🦩 Flamingo Congregation at Oviedo Lagoon
🐢 Sea Turtle Nesting
🐦 Winter Waterbird Congregation

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Moderate
🦎 Rhinoceros Iguanas on the Dry Coast

Where Wildlife Score

How good is this park for seeing wildlife?
🦜

Biodiversity

Good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg
3.4 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
Species by taxon
🦅 Birds
288
🐒 Mammals
50
🦎 Reptiles
84
🐸 Amphibians
16
438 Total Species
850 Global average across 296 parks
70 Threatened 142 Endemic
🔭

Sighting

Good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg
2.6 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
🎯
Top-12 Avg Probability
62% Global avg
58%
📊
Coverage (152 species at ≥5% of 438 in the inventory)
24% Global avg
35%
🔀
Taxon variety in top 12 (10 bird, 2 reptile)
46% Global avg
37%
🔭
Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)
134 Global avg
91
🌟
Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)
15 Global avg
1
⭐
High-prob species (>40%)
27 Global avg
20

Quick answers

What animals can you see in Jaragua National Park?

The most likely sightings are Tricolored Heron (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers), Barahona Curlytail Lizard (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), Rhinoceros Iguana (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), Snowy Egret (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), Royal Tern (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers) — among 438 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.

When is the best time to visit Jaragua National Park for wildlife?

December has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.

Can you see Rhinoceros Iguana in Jaragua National Park?

Yes — about 69% of wildlife watchers report a Rhinoceros Iguana sighting in Jaragua National Park, based on 37 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see American Flamingo in Jaragua National Park?

Yes — about 35% of wildlife watchers report a American Flamingo sighting in Jaragua National Park, based on 67 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Haitian Solenodon in Jaragua National Park?

Yes — about 22% of wildlife watchers report a Haitian Solenodon sighting in Jaragua National Park, based on 4 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Ricord's Ground Iguana in Jaragua National Park?

It's possible but not guaranteed: about 14% of wildlife watchers report a Ricord's Ground Iguana sighting in Jaragua National Park, based on 2 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data. Sightings take luck and time in the field.

⚖️

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