Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park

🇲🇽 Mexico

🦝 Coatis and Spiny-tailed Iguanas
🌍 #130 Global · 3.9 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #8 in North America #59 in Tropical Forest
Quintana Roo, Mexico 509 spp. recorded

Cozumel protects the reef along the island's southwest shore, and the land behind it carries the animals a visitor actually walks up to. Spiny-tailed iguanas hold every wall and path on nine visits in ten, and white-nosed coatis work the coastal scrub on nearly as many.

20.276° N   87.019° 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

White-nosed Coati ★
LC Endemic

White-nosed Coati

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Nasua narica

70–80% · Very likely
Black Spiny-tailed Iguana ★
LC Endemic

Black Spiny-tailed Iguana

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Ctenosaura similis

80–90% · Very likely
Pygmy Raccoon ★
CR Endemic

Pygmy Raccoon

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Procyon pygmaeus

40–50% · Likely
White-tailed Deer ★
LC Endemic

White-tailed Deer

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Odocoileus virginianus

20–30% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Tropical Mockingbird
LC Endemic

Tropical Mockingbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mimus gilvus

80–90% · Very likely
Bananaquit
LC Endemic

Bananaquit

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Coereba flaveola

80–90% · Very likely
Great-tailed Grackle
LC Endemic

Great-tailed Grackle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Quiscalus mexicanus

80–90% · Very likely
Black Catbird
LC

Black Catbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melanoptila glabrirostris

70–80% · Very likely
Yellow Warbler
LC Endemic

Yellow Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga petechia

70–80% · Very likely
Black Vulture
LC

Black Vulture

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Coragyps atratus

70–80% · Very likely
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
LC Endemic

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Polioptila caerulea

70–80% · Very likely
Southern Stingray

Southern Stingray

☀️ Diurnal Shark / Ray

Hypanus americanus

70–80% · Very likely
Nurse Shark

Nurse Shark

☀️ Diurnal Shark / Ray

Ginglymostoma cirratum

60–70% · Likely
Tropical Kingbird
LC

Tropical Kingbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tyrannus melancholicus

60–70% · Likely
Cozumel Emerald
LC Endemic

Cozumel Emerald

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cynanthus forficatus

60–70% · Likely
Yellow stingray

Yellow stingray

☀️ Diurnal Shark / Ray

Urobatis jamaicensis

60–70% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

White-nosed Coati ★
LC Endemic

White-nosed Coati

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Nasua narica

70–80% · Very likely
Pygmy Raccoon ★
CR Endemic

Pygmy Raccoon

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Procyon pygmaeus

40–50% · Likely
White-tailed Deer ★
LC Endemic

White-tailed Deer

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Odocoileus virginianus

20–30% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Collared Peccary
Endemic

Collared Peccary

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Pecari tajacu

30–40% · Possible
Jamaican Fruit-eating Bat
LC

Jamaican Fruit-eating Bat

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Artibeus jamaicensis

10–20% · With luck
Spotted Paca
LC

Spotted Paca

🌙 Nocturnal Mammal

Cuniculus paca

10–20% · With luck
Central American Agouti
LC Endemic

Central American Agouti

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Dasyprocta punctata

10–20% · With luck
Central American Spider Monkey
EN

Central American Spider Monkey

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Ateles geoffroyi

5–10% · With luck
Bottlenose Dolphin
LC

Bottlenose Dolphin

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tursiops truncatus

Insufficient data
Virginia Opossum
LC

Virginia Opossum

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Didelphis virginiana

Insufficient data
Southern Yellow Bat

Southern Yellow Bat

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Dasypterus ega

Insufficient data
Margay
NT

Margay

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Leopardus wiedii

Insufficient data
Black mastiff bat

Black mastiff bat

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Molossus nigricans

Insufficient data
Common Big-eared Bat
LC

Common Big-eared Bat

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Micronycteris microtis

Insufficient data
Northern Hairy-legged Myotis

Northern Hairy-legged Myotis

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Myotis pilosatibialis

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Tropical Mockingbird
LC Endemic

Tropical Mockingbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Mimus gilvus

80–90% · Very likely
Bananaquit
LC Endemic

Bananaquit

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Coereba flaveola

80–90% · Very likely
Great-tailed Grackle
LC Endemic

Great-tailed Grackle

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Quiscalus mexicanus

80–90% · Very likely
Black Catbird
LC

Black Catbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melanoptila glabrirostris

70–80% · Very likely
Yellow Warbler
LC Endemic

Yellow Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga petechia

70–80% · Very likely
Black Vulture
LC

Black Vulture

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Coragyps atratus

70–80% · Very likely
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
LC Endemic

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Polioptila caerulea

70–80% · Very likely
Tropical Kingbird
LC

Tropical Kingbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tyrannus melancholicus

60–70% · Likely
Cozumel Emerald
LC Endemic

Cozumel Emerald

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cynanthus forficatus

60–70% · Likely
American Redstart
LC

American Redstart

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga ruticilla

60–70% · Likely
Yucatán Woodpecker
LC

Yucatán Woodpecker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melanerpes pygmaeus

60–70% · Likely
Yellow-faced Grassquit
LC Endemic

Yellow-faced Grassquit

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tiaris olivaceus

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Black Spiny-tailed Iguana ★
LC Endemic

Black Spiny-tailed Iguana

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Ctenosaura similis

80–90% · Very likely

📊 Most Spotted

Brown Anole
LC

Brown Anole

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Anolis sagrei

60–70% · Likely
Green Iguana
LC

Green Iguana

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Iguana iguana

50–60% · Likely
American Crocodile
VU

American Crocodile

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Crocodylus acutus

50–60% · Likely
Furrowed Wood Turtle
NT

Furrowed Wood Turtle

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Rhinoclemmys areolata

40–50% · Likely
Brown Basilisk
LC

Brown Basilisk

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Basiliscus vittatus

40–50% · Likely
Cozumel Racerunner
LC Endemic

Cozumel Racerunner

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Aspidoscelis cozumela

20–30% · Possible
Green Turtle
LC

Green Turtle

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Chelonia mydas

20–30% · Possible
Hawksbill
CR

Hawksbill

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Eretmochelys imbricata

10–20% · With luck
Rainforest Cat-eyed Snake
LC

Rainforest Cat-eyed Snake

☀️🌙 Day & Night Reptile

Leptodeira frenata

10–20% · With luck
Common House Gecko
LC Endemic

Common House Gecko

☀️🌙 Day & Night Reptile

Hemidactylus frenatus

10–20% · With luck
Saint George Island Gecko
LC

Saint George Island Gecko

🌅 Crepuscular Reptile

Aristelliger georgeensis

10–20% · With luck
Mesoamerican Slider

Mesoamerican Slider

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Trachemys venusta

10–20% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

Mexican Smilisca
LC

Mexican Smilisca

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Smilisca baudinii

20–30% · Possible
Stauffer's Tree Frog
LC

Stauffer's Tree Frog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Scinax staufferi

10–20% · With luck
Central American Gulf Coast Toad
LC

Central American Gulf Coast Toad

🌅 Crepuscular Amphibian

Incilius valliceps

10–20% · With luck
Greenhouse Frog
LC

Greenhouse Frog

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Eleutherodactylus planirostris

10–20% · With luck
Giant Marine Toad
LC

Giant Marine Toad

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Rhinella horribilis

5–10% · With luck
Sheep Frog
LC

Sheep Frog

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Hypopachus variolosus

Insufficient data
Elegant Narrow-mouthed Toad
LC

Elegant Narrow-mouthed Toad

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Gastrophryne elegans

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Southern Stingray

Southern Stingray

☀️ Diurnal Shark / Ray

Hypanus americanus

70–80% · Very likely
Nurse Shark

Nurse Shark

☀️ Diurnal Shark / Ray

Ginglymostoma cirratum

60–70% · Likely
Yellow stingray

Yellow stingray

☀️ Diurnal Shark / Ray

Urobatis jamaicensis

60–70% · Likely
Maylan

Maylan

☀️ Diurnal Shark / Ray

Aetobatus narinari

60–70% · Likely
Cub shark

Cub shark

☀️ Diurnal Shark / Ray

Carcharhinus leucas

Insufficient data
Caribbean numbfish

Caribbean numbfish

☀️ Diurnal Shark / Ray

Narcine bancroftii

10–20% · With luck
reef shark

reef shark

☀️ Diurnal Shark / Ray

Carcharhinus perezii

Insufficient data
Box Ray

Box Ray

☀️ Diurnal Shark / Ray

Mobula tarapacana

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🐗

Coatis and Tree Frogs in the Rains

JulAugSep

White-nosed coati bands move through the coastal scrub and Mexican tree frogs call after dark.

White-nosed Coati
LC Endemic

White-nosed Coati

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Nasua narica

70–80% · Very likely
🦎

Iguanas in the Dry Months

DecJanFeb

Spiny-tailed and green iguanas bask on the walls and open ground at their most visible of the year.

Black Spiny-tailed Iguana
LC Endemic

Black Spiny-tailed Iguana

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Ctenosaura similis

80–90% · Very likely
Green Iguana
LC

Green Iguana

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Iguana iguana

50–60% · Likely

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
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
60–70
70–80
70–80
70–80
White-nosed Coati
60–70
70–80
50–60
60–70
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
50–60
60–70
60–70
70–80
Black Spiny-tailed Iguana
80–90
80–90
80–90
70–80
80–90
80–90
80–90
80–90
70–80
60–70
70–80
80–90
Pygmy Raccoon
40–50
50–60
40–50
40–50
40–50
50–60
50–60
40–50
30–40
60–70
40–50
50–60
White-tailed Deer
10–20
20–30
20–30
10–20
30–40
20–30
10–20
30–40
20–30
20–30
10–20
10–20
Tropical Mockingbird
90–100
90–100
90–100
80–90
90–100
70–80
80–90
80–90
70–80
90–100
90–100
80–90
Bananaquit
80–90
90–100
80–90
80–90
90–100
80–90
80–90
70–80
80–90
70–80
80–90
80–90
Great-tailed Grackle
80–90
80–90
70–80
70–80
90–100
70–80
90–100
80–90
80–90
70–80
70–80
80–90
Black Catbird
70–80
70–80
80–90
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
60–70
60–70
60–70
80–90
70–80
Yellow Warbler
70–80
80–90
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
80–90
60–70
70–80
70–80
60–70
60–70
Black Vulture
70–80
70–80
70–80
50–60
50–60
70–80
60–70
60–70
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
60–70
60–70
70–80
60–70
70–80
60–70
Southern Stingray
90–100
80–90
80–90
90–100
90–100
70–80
90–100
90–100
80–90
90–100
90–100
80–90
Nurse Shark
80–90
90–100
80–90
90–100
90–100
90–100
90–100
80–90
90–100
90–100
80–90
80–90
Tropical Kingbird
70–80
70–80
60–70
60–70
70–80
70–80
50–60
60–70
60–70
60–70
70–80
60–70
Cozumel Emerald
70–80
70–80
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
70–80
40–50
50–60
50–60
70–80
70–80
Yellow stingray
80–90
80–90
80–90
90–100
80–90
80–90
80–90
90–100
80–90
90–100
80–90
80–90
Animal Events
🐗 Coatis and Tree Frogs in the Rains
🦎 Iguanas in the Dry Months

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 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Excellent
🦝 Coatis and Spiny-tailed Iguanas

Where Wildlife Score

How good is this park for seeing wildlife?
🦜

Biodiversity

Good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg
3.1 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
Species by taxon
🦅 Birds
347
🐒 Mammals
96
🦎 Reptiles
48
🐸 Amphibians
10
🦈 Sharks & Rays
8
509 Total Species
850 Global average across 296 parks
20 Threatened 57 Endemic
🔭

Sighting

Excellent

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg
4.1 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
🎯
Top-12 Avg Probability
62% Global avg
76%
📊
Coverage (155 species at ≥5% of 509 in the inventory)
24% Global avg
30%
🔀
Taxon variety in top 12 (8 bird, 2 elasmobranch, 1 reptile, 1 mammal)
46% Global avg
69%
🔭
Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)
134 Global avg
111
🌟
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
8
⭐
High-prob species (>40%)
27 Global avg
34

Quick answers

What animals can you see in Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park?

The most likely sightings are Tropical Mockingbird (seen by 80–90% of wildlife watchers), Bananaquit (seen by 80–90% of wildlife watchers), Black Spiny-tailed Iguana (seen by 80–90% of wildlife watchers), Great-tailed Grackle (seen by 80–90% of wildlife watchers), Black Catbird (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers) — among 509 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.

When is the best time to visit Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park for wildlife?

February 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 White-nosed Coati in Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park?

Yes — about 70% of wildlife watchers report a White-nosed Coati sighting in Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park, based on 217 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Black Spiny-tailed Iguana in Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park?

Yes — about 82% of wildlife watchers report a Black Spiny-tailed Iguana sighting in Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park, based on 360 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Pygmy Raccoon in Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park?

Yes — about 49% of wildlife watchers report a Pygmy Raccoon sighting in Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park, based on 93 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see White-tailed Deer in Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park?

Yes — about 22% of wildlife watchers report a White-tailed Deer sighting in Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park, based on 10 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

⚖️

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