Tayrona is one of the best places in Colombia to see tropical wildlife without deep jungle trekking. The park sits in a transition zone between dry tropical forest near the coast and wetter cloud forest as the Sierra Nevada rises inland. The trails between the beaches pass through sections of primary forest where wildlife is active throughout the day.
Howler monkeys are the most audible presence — their roaring can be heard a kilometre away and groups are frequently visible in the canopy along the trails between Arrecifes and Cabo San Juan. Cotton-top tamarins, more delicate and shy, are regularly spotted. Iguanas sun themselves on the boulders at every beach. The birdlife is outstanding: toucans, parrots, herons, pelicans, and frigate birds are among the hundreds of species recorded. On the beaches, hermit crabs emerge at night in large numbers. In the sea, nurse sharks rest in the shallow water around La Piscina and turtles nest on certain beaches in season.