Sylvilagus gabbi
Silhouette: T. Michael Keesey · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
The Central American tapeti (Sylvilagus gabbi) or Gabb's cottontail is a species of cottontail rabbit native to southern Mexico and much of Central America. It was previously considered a subspecies of the common tapeti (Sylvilagus brasiliensis) but analysis in 2017 confirmed that it is sufficiently distinct in both appearance and genetics to be considered a species in its own right. It is closely related to the northern tapeti, which some authors describe as a subspecies of S. gabbi. The name Gabbi's cottontail comes from American paleontologist William More Gabb.
There are six subspecies of the Central American tapeti. The rest of the Central American tapeti subspecies are less common: S. g. messorius, found at altitudes up to 550 metres (1,800 ft), lives in the Darién Gap and possibly Colombia Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Braulio Carrillo National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 2 | Tenorio Volcano National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 3 | Arenal Volcano National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 4 | Soberanía National Park | 🇵🇦 Panama | |
| 5 | Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica |
No species of the same family or order lives in Arenal Volcano National Park, so these are its closest relatives here: other mammals.
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Gabb's Cottontail sighting in Arenal Volcano National Park on a given day, based on 17 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 11th most-seen of the 25 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
August
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Gabb's Cottontail in Arenal Volcano National Park on a given day, against under 5% in June and September–October, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Gabb's Cottontail sightings with a recorded time, and about 7 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
3rd of 5
Of the 5 parks where we can rate Gabb's Cottontail sightings, Arenal Volcano National Park ranks 3rd at about 10%. The best odds are in Braulio Carrillo National Park (Costa Rica, about 20%) and Tenorio Volcano National Park (Costa Rica, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Gabb's Cottontail is recorded against all the mammals logged in Arenal Volcano National Park (17 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
