Sayulita Mexico's Wildlife: Guide to Exotic Fauna & Sightings

Encounters with animals will be rare, but sightings of foxes, coatimudi (tejones), raccoons, armadillos, opossums, skunks and squirrels may occur.

Land-crabs, spiders, geckos, iguanas and other assorted lizards are all around. Usually only geckos are present indoors (they should be welcomed as they eat flying insects and mosquitos) but depending upon where you live (or are staying), snakes and scorpions can be more prevalent. Expect to see land crabs in the jungle and gardens, especially during the rainy season. They are harmless and non-edible (hence their numbers) and crawl around rather quickly!

Sayulita is surrounded by tropical jungle and has many plants and trees throughout the town, making bugs and insects forever present. At night, light will attract moths, beetles and other flying insects. To avoid being bothered by the bugs, do not sit under or next to a lamp, or have a separate lamp with a brighter bulb elsewhere in the area. Some moths and beetles are large and beautifully marked. Moths can have wingspans the size of a hand, so don’t be surprised by their size!

Spiders vary from the "normal" household variety to the truly exotically-colored. Black widows and tarantulas are generally not found in this part of Mexico. To cut down on the number of mosquitos, make sure there is no standing water around the house. Dawn and especially dusk are the worst times for getting bitten. Mosquito repellent is readily available at any Sayulita pharmacy.

In the winter months, the Humpback whales use the protective waters of Bahia de Banderas to raise their calves. You can hire a boat in Sayulita, Punta de Mita, or in Vallarta for this exciting excursion.

Pacific Green and Olive Ridley turtles come ashore along this coastline (in Sayulita, only the Olive Ridley) to lay their eggs June through October and hatchlings emerge September through December. A group of volunteer residents patrolled Sayulita's north beach in 2008 and brought over 100,000 eggs from 120+ nests to a safe and guarded area and held controlled releases through the hatching season. The obstacles are so numerous for baby turtles that only about 1 in 1,000 survives to adulthood. Turtles may be observed in the sea while snorkeling, kayaking and surfing.

More than 300 species can be found along the coast and in the mountains around Sayulita. Migration accounts for the great variety of species during the winter months compared to summer.

A lot of bird watching can be done from the comfort of your home here in Sayulita. Open your eyes and look around and up into the skies above Sayulita. Gulls and sea-shore birds can be found along the beach, but fresh water birds are commonly sighted at the mouth of the town river and nearby streams. Town bushes and trees host a wide variety of birds. Pairs or small flocks of raucous Orange Fronted Parakeets (pictured above) fly from tree to tree, while another noisy local, the Chachalaca can be heard and seen in trees all around Sayulita. 

Hummingbirds, wood-peckers, flycatchers, orioles, doves, hawks, thrushes and sparrows are common sights as well. A walk along jungle paths will offer more bird sightings and different habitats. With patience and vigilance you are sure to see an abundance of bird life thriving in the Sayulita jungles. For hiking, bird watching, and other fun adventures check our tours and adventures page.