Bassaricyon gabbii
Silhouette: Margot Michaud · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~20% in a week ~50%
The northern olingo (Bassaricyon gabbii), also known as the bushy-tailed olingo or, simply, the olingo (due to it being the most common of the species), is an arboreal (tree-dwelling) member of the raccoon family, Procyonidae, which also includes the coatimundis and kinkajou. Native to Central America, it was the first species of olingo to be scientifically described; while it is considered by some authors to be the only "true" olingo species, a review of the genus Bassaricyon had shown there to be a total of four species, two of those now being considered synonymous with the northern olingo. Its specific name honors William More Gabb (1839-1878), who found and collected the first specimen for western science.
The northern olingo is a slender arboreal animal, with hind legs distinctly longer than the fore legs, and a long, bushy tail. The face is short and rounded, with relatively large eyes and short round ears. The fur is thick and colored brown or grey-brown over most of the body, becoming slightly darker along the middle of the back, while the underparts are light cream to yellowish. A band of yellowish fur runs around the throat and sides of the head, where it... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 2 | Braulio Carrillo National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Chiriqui Olingo sighting in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve on a given day, based on 16 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 14th most-seen of the 28 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 20%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
October and December–June
In those months about 10% of wildlife watchers report a Chiriqui Olingo in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve on a given day, against under 5% in July–September and November, the lowest months.
Between 6 and 9 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Chiriqui Olingo sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is most active around dawn and dusk.
Yes
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Chiriqui Olingo sightings, Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Braulio Carrillo National Park (Costa Rica, about 10%).
Same family: Procyonidae
The closest relatives of the Chiriqui Olingo that you can see in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve (family Procyonidae, Raccoons, Coatis, and Allies) are White-nosed Coati (about 80%) and Kinkajou (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Chiriqui Olingo is recorded against all the mammals logged in Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve (16 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.
