Tortuguero National Park is located in northeastern Costa Rica's Limon province, near the city of Tortuguero. It can only be accessed by plane or boat. The 312 square kilometer park contains 11 different habitats that are home to a great diversity of animal and plant life, including endangered sea turtles that nest on its beaches. The park's rivers are home to manatees, caimans, crocodiles, and the living fossil Tropical Gar fish. Its forests shelter jaguars, monkeys, sloths, and over 375 bird species. The park was established in 1975 to protect the region's wildlife and facilitate scientific study and environmental education.