Our species protection projects

From the very beginning, it was our intention not only to buy land in the Esquinas Rainforest, but also to protect the biodiversity of this unique forest.  In 20 years, we have donated € 257.000 to the Corcovado Foundation (for park ranger salaries), € 15.500 to Pro Felis (for the reintroduction of wildcats), € 35.000 to Yaguará (for the protection of wildcats), € 43.600 to Zoo Ave (for the reintroduction of scarlet macaws and squirrel monkeys) and € 4.500 tpaypal the Corcovado Foundation and Osa Conservation (for camera traps and a turtle project). überwiesen. All donations came from friends of the rainforest who are concerned about the conservation of biodiversity and the unique fauna of the Esquinas Rainforest. We need your ongoing support!

Make a  donation from $20 upwards to paypal@regenwald.at and we will send you a certificate. Order your certificate from Opens window for sending emailinfo[at]regenwald.at.  We can send it to you by mail, or as a digital PDF.

Our fight against illegal activities
Although 70% of the Esquinas Rainforest have already become part of a national park, poaching and illegal logging still continue. Poachers still enter the forest to hunt peccaries, pacas and other animals. One of our priorities is the protection of the forest by park rangers. Since June 2003, two park rangers paid with donations from Rainforest of the Austrians have worked in the La Gamba area. In 2014, we doubled the number. Seit Juni 2003 arbeiten zwei von Regenwald der Österreicher bezahlte Wildhüter im Gebiet rund um La Gamba. Presently, nine park rangers are stationed in the La Gamba - Bonito sector of Piedras Blancas National Park.  

 

The main task of our park rangers is the fight against illegal activities such as hunting, poaching, logging, fishing near the coast, pollution of streams, gold mining or entering the forest as squatters. During the first 6 months of 2015,  rangers undertook 338 operations by land and by sea and filed 34 reports on illegal activities.  Besides, rangers are responsible for the maintenance of trails, buildings and park borders.   The monthly salary of a ranger, including administrative costs, social security and health care, was  CRC 656.900,72 in 2016 (approx. $ 1.200).  We need approximately $ 55,000 to pay for four rangers and we urgently require YOUR help! Thank you in the name of the animals in the Esquinas Rainforest.

From 2010 to 2014, we donated $53.000 to Yaguará Wildcats Conservation towards the protection of wildcats on and near the Osa Peninsula. Our donations were used for camera traps, radio collars, compensation to farmers for farm animals killed by wildcats, and  environmental education in schools and communities. Aida Bustamente, head of Yaguará, has taken on a new job at a rescue center for white-lipped peccaries, tapirs and ocelots on the Osa Peninsula financed by hedge-fund billionaire Paul Tudor Jones. 

We have decided to support the wildcat program of Osa Conservation (Opens external link in new windowhttp://osaconservation.org/category/wildcats/) and purchase camera traps that are installed on the trails around Esquinas Rainforest Lodge and La Gamba Research Station. aufgestellt werden. The advantage is that data can be evaluated by our own personell. We hope to gather valuable information, photos and videos about mammals in the Esquinas Rainforest.

Macaw Release Center in San Josecito
In 1996, the foundation "Fundación para la Restauración de la Naturaleza", which runs the private Zoo Ave in La Garita, began an artificial breeding program for scarlet macaws with the goal of releasing the large and endangered parrots into the wild and increasing the population. After a long search, the Rainforest of the Austrians was found to be the most suitable place for the reintroduction of macaws. Our organisation donated a 32-acre piece of land near Playa San Joscito on the Golfo Dulce, on which five aviaries, a kitchen and two prefab houses were built. In 1998, the first group of six macaws was brought to the release site. First, they had to adapt to the environment and learn to fly and strengthen their wings. Slowly, their diet was converted to wild fruits and seeds from the surrounding jungle. The social behaviour of the flock was monitored by ornithologists. Each year, 10-15 macaws were added until the 100th bird was released on 2008.  

The project surpassed all expectations. Originally, the chance of survival was estimated at 50%, but today is a healthy group of more than 150 macaws. They have begun to reproduce and are seen flying along the entire coast of Gulfo Dulce from the Rio Esquinas to Golfito. Park rangers also bring confiscated parrots and parakeets to the release center.  

Between 1998 and 2000, an ocelot and several margays were released by Pro Felis Wildcat organisation, but also capuchin monkeys, caimans, coatis and turtles have found a new home in the Esquinas Rainforest. Rainforest of the Austrians has supported the release programs with more than $50,000.

 

Since 2003, the Corcovado Foundation has been a reliable friend and partner. The organisation, which  oversees a turtle conservation project in Drake Bay on the Osa Peninsula, has been responsible for the employment of "our" park rangers and was in charge of the construction of the ranger station in La Gamba.

 This year, the Corcovado Foundation is focussing on a new site in Rio Oro. Prior to 2006, 85% of sea turtle nests in Drake Bay were lost to poaching. Since then, the program has protected 90% of nests, tagged over 450 sea turtles and released over 77,000 babies into the ocean! The Corcovado Foundation has also paid over $30,000 in salaries to locals, and generated over $90,000 for families in the volunteering homestay network. The program has trained more than 50 residents in sea turtle conservation and hosted hundreds of volunteers.

We are donating part of the proceeds from the sale of Species Protection Certificates to the Corcovado Foundation's turtle project. More here: Opens external link in new windowhttp://www.corcovadofoundation.org/sea-turtle-conservation/

 http://www.corcovadofoundation.org/sea-turtle-conservation/

 

Read more: Regional development