Savanna ecosystems in Costa Rica are open landscapes dominated by grasses, scattered trees, and shrubs, often found in regions with marked dry seasons and periodic fires. While natural savannas are rare, some areas in Guanacaste and the northern Pacific lowlands resemble savanna structure due to a combination of soil conditions, fire regimes, and human activity (e.g., historical grazing and burning). These ecosystems support a distinct set of wildlife adapted to open, sunny, and dry environments.
Santa Rosa National Park (historic savanna restoration efforts)
Guanacaste Conservation Area (managed grassland restoration)
Lomas Barbudal Biological Reserve (mosaic habitats)
Late dry season (March–April) for best visibility and flowering trees
Highly degraded and fragmented; few intact natural savannas remain.
While often seen as degraded or secondary land, savanna ecosystems are important biodiversity reservoirs and may reflect pre-Columbian land management practices. Their restoration can provide key corridors between forest patches and open spaces for native mammals and raptors.
