Corcovado National Park, National park in Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica

Corcovado is a protected area on the Pacific coast of the Osa Peninsula, covering more than 400 square kilometers of tropical rainforest and coastal zones. Several trails lead through different vegetation zones, from dense forest sections to sandy beaches where river mouths meet the ocean.

The park was founded in the mid-1970s after logging companies began clearing large areas of old forest. The government decided then to place the territory under protection to prevent the disappearance of numerous animal species.

Gold mining continues illegally inside the park, with an estimated 400 miners still working and about 38% of the park's area exploited. The government allowed the miners present in 1975 to stay; by 1986 their number had grown to about 1,000, and they were then evicted.

A visit requires booking through a certified guide, as independent hiking is not permitted. The approach is either through Puerto Jiménez or Drake Bay, both requiring several hours of travel or a boat ride.

Gold mining never fully stopped: after miners were evicted in the 1980s, illegal operations returned with more destructive methods, and an estimated 400 miners still work inside the park, which has affected about 38% of its area. The rivers also hold American crocodiles, and bull sharks swim into the estuaries at high tide.