Sharks In Costa Rica
If you’re a fan of marine wildlife, you might’ve seen the headlines about an exciting recent discovery.
“Fishermen Pulled In an Orange Shark Off Costa Rica: ‘My God, What Is This?’”
— The New York Times
“This bright orange shark has shocked and delighted scientists.”
— CBC
“In 2025, Orange is the New Shark.”
— SURFER magazine
A never-before-seen orange shark was accidentally caught by fishers, just off the coast of Costa Rica’ Tortuguero National Park. They successfully disentangled the shark from their net and released it safely back to the sea—all while capturing the wild event on video.
After studying the video and the shark’s local marine environment, scientists concluded the orange shark is likely a nurse shark with two rare genetic mutations: albinism and xanthism.
Marine biologists are planning several diving expeditions in the next year, hoping to glimpse the neon-hued shark and observe its movements in its own habitat.
New shark species and color variants don’t pop up every day. Yet, it makes sense that if they’d appear anywhere, they’d make their debut in Costa Rica.
It might just be the best place on Earth to be a shark.
Are There Sharks In Costa Rica?
Yes. There are absolutely sharks in the waters of Costa Rica.
Costa Rica is a lush Central American country encompassing both tropical and subtropical climate zones. Its rainforests and reefs are among the most biodiverse places on Earth.
That biodiversity encompasses 93 different species of shark and sea ray, many of which are endangered.
Moreover, Costa Rica’s waters represent 8% of the global biodiversity of these species. That might not seem like much…until you realize its marine territory is only 0.2% of the tropical and subtropical oceans on Earth!
Meaning, Costa Rica holds a mere ⅕ of one percent of the warm waters wherein sharks of these species could (potentially) live.
Yet, a full 8% of these sharks’ populations are clustered here.
Pick any square kilometer of Costa Rica’s seas, at random, and odds are that square is home to 40x more sharks (of these species) than an equally random km² of sub/tropical ocean from anywhere else.
Clearly, something about the nation’s seas appeals to these sharks.
What Types of Sharks Live In Costa Rica’s Waters?
It’s challenging to determine all of the shark species in Costa Rica at a given time. Factors like changing shark migration patterns, certain species’ diminishing populations, and challenges inherent to tracking technology used underwater, can cause marine biologists to miss or misidentify species.
Still, shark aficionados visiting Costa Rica might want to keep their eyes peeled for one or more of these.
Scalloped Hammerheads
Scalloped hammerheads have uniquely wide, “wavy” heads, providing a wide platform for their electro-sensory receptors.
They’re among the very few shark species that swim in large, cooperative schools. This social structure has its advantages, but it also makes them a target for unscrupulous fishers.
Today, scalloped hammerhead sharks are critically endangered. Since their placement in the IUCN Red List, environmental NGOs have ramped up conservation efforts.
One particularly notable project was the 2018 launch of the first-ever juvenile shark nursery and sanctuary in Golfo Dulce, the gulf of Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula.
Bull Sharks
Bull sharks are among the 2.3% of shark and ray species in the world with a superpower: they’re euryhaline.
Euryhaline marine animals swim in fresh water as easily as the salty sea. Thanks to this rare gift, they have an easier time adapting and migrating than other shark species. In fact, clear-eyed boaters often spot them in Costa Rica’s mangrove estuaries.
Yet, while they’ve remained adaptive enough to avoid endangerment, bull sharks still face a potentially precarious future. IUCN has listed bull sharks as “near threatened” since 2018.
Commonplace Sharks: Tiger Sharks, Nurse Sharks, & Tipped-Fins
Spend enough time in Costa Rica’s shallows, and you’ll be bound to see some of the more popular reef feeders. Tiger sharks, nurse sharks, blacktip sharks, white-tip reef sharks, and Galapagos sharks get around.
These sharks aren’t typically aggressive towards humans. The behavior of the orange nurse shark in the video is fairly typical for these kinds of sharks, when threatened. Though the orange shark was clearly panicking, it didn’t attack the fishermen as it escaped the net.
For the most part, reef sharks don’t attack humans unless they feel threatened or they mistake a surfboard for a seal.
At-Risk Sharks: Mako Sharks, Silky Sharks, Whale Sharks & Threshers
As of the publication of The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)’s Threatened Species List of 2024, several Costa Rican sharks are now classified as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered. Most prominent are:
- Mako Sharks
- Silky Sharks
- Whale Sharks
- Requiem Sharks
- Threshers
These sharks tend to be more vulnerable to Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs): large-scale fishing traps that aim to lure in tuna, but end up catching a lot else.
Why Are These Sharks In Greater Danger Than Others?
To understand shark vulnerability, consider the Mako shark.
Mako sharks are torpedo-shaped, streamlined predators. They’re always on the hunt, and they never miss an opportunity to strike.
Yet, it’s this very vigilance that makes Mako sharks so susceptible to the traps.
Over millennia, they evolved a keen eye for prey fish, no matter how well-camouflaged, and an unbreakable instinct to go for the kill.
A wall of tuna is irresistible.
These at-risk species also tend to reproduce and mature more slowly than other shark species.
For example, the average mature tiger shark has 60-80 eggs per litter and creates 300-600 offspring in its lifetime. It reaches maturity around ages 7-10, gestates one litter every three years for about three decades, then dies around age 40.
In contrast, a female Mako shark doesn’t reach reproductive maturity until she’s 18-20 years old. She’ll have 4-25 offspring per litter, and birth only 3-4 litters before the end of her 30-year lifespan.
As a result, when pollution or natural disasters destroy all sharks’ litters in a particular year, the Mako shark species as a whole faces a greater loss.
How Common Are Shark Attacks In Costa Rica?
Shark attacks are very rare.
This point cannot be overemphasized.
Sharks Rarely Attack People
All shark attacks, from all corners of the globe, are assessed, recorded, and tracked by the Florida Museum of Natural History’s International Shark Attack File (ISAF).
According to ISAF data from 2014 to 2024, an average year sees 35-90 shark attacks. In 2024, there were only 71 shark attacks, total, worldwide.
Marine biologists estimate there are over 2 billion sharks in our oceans, across all 593 known shark species. So, for perspective, statistically, only 1 out of every 29 million sharks attacks a human in its lifetime.
In contrast, in a statistically average group of 29 million humans, about 1,160 commit murder or manslaughter.
As a human, you’re more likely to be killed by a human than even non-fatally injured by a shark.
Moreover, none of 2024’s shark attacks happened in Costa Rica.
Costa Rica Has Far Fewer Shark Attacks Than The Already-Low Global Average
In the last decade, 2014-2024, only two sharks attacked humans in Costa Rica’s seas. One killed a scuba diver. The other moderately injured a surfer.
Diving Risks & Shark Safety
The first attack happened in 2017. A tiger shark killed an American tourist, Rohina Bhandari, while she was scuba diving in Isla del Coco National Park, Costa Rica.
Scuba diving is a riskier activity around sharks, as a shark is more likely to perceive a diver as a threat. Moreover, a shark’s bite can be deadlier than usual if it punctures any components holding the diver’s oxygen supply. It’s important to take precautions seriously, and never approach a shark while diving.
Teen Surfer Survives Shark Attack, Makes Full Recovery
The most recent attack happened in 2023. A blacktip shark attacked Nick, a 15-year-old surfer. Fortunately, Nick’s injuries were relatively minor. He sustained gashes on his foot, which were treated with 10 stitches at a nearby hospital. With swift care, Nick made a complete recovery in seven months.
These non-lethal attacks are more common than fatal ones (though they’re still incredibly rare). In the 2023 case, the blacktip shark likely mistook Nick for a prey creature.
Blacktip sharks are opportunistic feeders. They frequently eat smaller sharks and rays, among other animals.
The average blacktip ranges in size from 5ft. – 9ft. long. Nick’s surfboard was likely just the right size and shape for the blacktip to perceive it as a smaller shark, then lunge for the “shark’s” underbelly.
Once the surfboard’s flavor clarified that Nick was not prey, the blacktip spat him out and swam away.
Despite the variety of sharks in Costa Rican waters, the fact that only two sharks attacked anyone, at all, across an entire decade, is (hopefully) reassuring. Shark attacks are incredibly rare.
Sharks: Keystone Species In Costa Rica’s Reefs
Shark conservation is vital for reasons beyond the sharks themselves. Sharks are also keystone species in the marine ecosystems of Costa Rica’s coasts.
Sharks’ predation regulates both the habitat growth of prey species and the territory expansion of competing predators. It also influences the feeding patterns of the reef’s herbivores, which, in turn, limits the growth of macroalgae.
Moreover, the carcasses of sharks who die naturally are crucial food sources for reef bottom feeders. As they decompose, they render the marine soil extraordinarily nutrient-rich.
Sharks maintain balance.
When Sharks Go Extinct, So Do Their Reefs
When too many sharks die off, reefs find themselves in trouble. Without sharks, overpredation by groupers, catastrophic algal blooms, and kelp malnourishment send entire reef systems into a downward spiral.
All too often, much of the reef dies.
What remains gives way to a weak, tepid monoculture, colonizing the remains of once-biodiverse corals.
Are Costa Rica Sharks Endangered?
Yes. Costa Rica is home to several endangered species of sharks, including Scalloped Hammerheads, mako sharks, silky sharks, whale sharks, requiem sharks, and threshers.
Fortunately, there are engaged, smart conservation groups on the ground, right now, turning the trends around.
In 2018, Misión Tiburón, a non-governmental organization, brought years of research together to launch the first-ever shark sanctuary. The reserve particularly focuses on protecting vulnerable scalloped hammerheads, but they never let their parallel focus on research fall to the wayside.
Each year since 2021, the Minister of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica has collaborated with farms and communities to expand Marine Protected Area (MPA) coverage. As of 2024, 30.2% of Costa Rica’s sea territories are legally dedicated to marine life protection.
In 2022 and 2023, laws were passed mandating that captains release any endangered hammerhead sharks accidentally caught, and requiring them to record all incidents so shark status can be tracked. As of 2024, hammerhead shark casualties dropped to near-zero.
Earlier this year, 2025, the NGO Centro Rescate Especies Marinas Amenzadas (CREMA) won a research grant from Shark Conservation Fund. The grant facilitates marine studies to better understand currently unprotected waters.
Please Don’t Kill Or Eat Sharks
One of the best ways to support Costa Rica’s shark conservation efforts is to abide by all laws and regulations–by letter and in spirit!
First and foremost, shark finning + fin sales are banned. Costa Rica likewise prohibits the capture, transport, storage and sale of any hammerhead shark. If anyone is trying to sell you sharkskin items or shark fin soup, know that those actions are illegal. Don’t buy it, don’t participate.
Second, reporting can save sharks’ lives.
If your conscience moves you to, you can contact the System of Conservation Areas (SINAC), dialing 1192 to access the hotline.
You can also report unlawful sales of shark parts, or similar practices, to Costa Rica’s Integrated System of Environmental Complaints (SITADA). SITADA receives reports and complaints through its online portal.
Travelers from the U.S. may want to report any violations to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It may help stem the increasing levels of shark meat illegally imported into the U.S. under false labels. The phenomenon has become so widespread, 18 different NGOs are calling on the U.S. government to restrict Costa Rica’s access to the U.S. seafood market until compliance improves.
Encounter Costa Rica Sharks: Boat Tours & Diving
For shark aficionados, visiting Costa Rica creates an opportunity for diverse shark-centered experiences, from volunteer projects to boat tours. Consider one of these excursions on your trip.
Shark Encounter Expedition With Misión Tiburón
The shark sanctuary offers certified divers an opportunity to act as citizen scientists, aiding in the NGO’s research in Isla Del Coco. Divers record the scalloped hammerhead’s primary environment, check on nesting juveniles, and assess for signs of illness or growth.
Highly trained guides lead the expedition, and divers never approach sharks. Yet, most participants find themselves far closer to the sharks than they may ever be again.
Non-Diving Volunteer Experiences: Shark Tagging, Beach Cleanup & Mangrove Restoration
Misión Tiburón also offers non-divers the chance to volunteer. Beach cleanup and mangrove restoration events connect people to nature and often lead to plenty of bull shark sightings.
Shark tagging allows volunteers to handle subdued sharks directly, under close supervision and with pre-trip training.
Introductory Scuba Diving Course, With Final Dive In Shark-Friendly Shallows
Several scuba pros offer non-certified travelers the chance to dive into the shallows of Papagayo, Catalina Islands, or Flamingo Beach. These mentors offer popular packages combining an introductory scuba diving course (1-3 days) with guided underwater tours of the reefs and shallows of Costa Rica’s shores.
In reviews, course attendees highlight their frequent sightings of nurse sharks and tiger sharks during the expeditions.
River & Estuary Wildlife Tours (By Boat!)
Taking a boat down the Rio Tárcoles might be the best way to experience sharks for those who prefer calmer pastimes.
The Tárcoles River Basin is a hugely important protected shark area; it’s a nesting ground for endangered Scalloped Hammerhead sharks. Move carefully, and you might get a rare glimpse of baby and adolescent hammerheads.
Those touring the Rio Frio in the Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge have a great chance of seeing some bull sharks. They’re the country’s only euryhaline shark, so they get the freshwater Frio all to themselves.
Guided Snorkeling & Boat Tours At Sea
Travelers snorkeling in Cahuita National Park & Caño Island often enjoy the sight of schools of nurse sharks, from a safe distance.
Dolphin watch boat tours are another great way to try to see schools of sharks in action. Tours on the Gulf of Nicoya are particularly good prospects.
The Gulf is home to several pods of diverse dolphin species year-round. Bottlenose dolphins, pantropical spotted dolphins, and spinner dolphins all maintain communities there.
While not universal, certain shark schools tend to befriend dolphin pods. The two groups have been known to be great collaborators, both when hunting and during play.
Tour attendees who’ve seen dolphins’ and sharks’ dance describe the experience in tones of reverence.
Experience Costa Rica’s Sharks & More With Caravan
Caravan’s Costa Rica Natural Paradise Tour
Reserve your spot today by calling 1-800-227-2826. Or, call +1-312-321-9800 to learn more.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/world/americas/orange-shark-costa-rica.html
