Tortuguero National Park is located in the northeast of Costa Rica, in the province of Lemon. The park covers an area of 26,156 hectares on land and 50,160 hectares of marine area, created to protect sea turtles nesting on the coast of Tortuguero. The biotopes of the park are impressive in their diversity - the sea coast, tropical rainforest, rivers, swamps, canals and shady lagoons. More than 400 species of trees and 2,200 shrub and herbaceous plants grow in the park: palm trees, vines, orchids, water lilies, ferns, red, pink, ebony trees, as well as guaiac tree (tree of life) and other plants, many of which are found only in this region. Rainforest trees reach 40-45 meters in height. Jaguars, tapirs, ocelots, tolomuko (an animal of the marten family), three-fingered sloths, three rare species of monkeys (arachnid monkey, howler monkey and white-faced capuchin) live in the Tortuguero National Park. More than 405 species of birds, half of which are endemic to Costa Rica, about 100 species of amphibians and reptiles (crocodiles, caimans, helmet-bearing basilisk and poisonous frogs). In the marine conservation area, you can find 4 species of sea turtles (bessa, loghead, green and leathery) and manatees. In 1975, the Costa Rican government decided to create the Tortuguero National Park to protect all this natural wealth. The park is one of the most popular ecotourism destinations; fascinating routes have been developed for visitors to it. Tourists can go on a boat trip along the Tortuguero rivers, on the Caribbean coast to see the "mass passage" of sea turtles ashore to lay eggs or newly hatched turtles, hurrying into the sea. A route through a dense tropical forest will provide an opportunity to learn more about the flora and fauna of Costa Rica, to see exotic plants and outlandish inhabitants of the tropics.