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Environmental Education And Protection Actions
For The Osa Conservation Area

FINANCED BY FUNDS ADMINISTRATED BY THE CORCOVADO FOUNDATION
ACOSA-FUNDACION CORCOVADO
2004 Yearly Report

1. General Overview

During the last years the Osa has been affected for an unrestrained hunting impact on Corcovado and Piedras Blancas National Parks.

The biologists and conservationists working in the Osa agree that the hunting of wildlife on the Osa Peninsula presents the greatest short-term threat to the region's bio diversity. The Regional Wildlife Management Program of Costa Rica's National University has been systematically monitoring the populations of several key species ( Chancho de Monte (White Lipped Peccary), Jaguar, Tapir) in Corcovado National Park for the last decade, and has documented frightening recent declines in their populations. For example, the park's population of Chancho de Monte has decreased from approximately 2000 individuals in the late 1990s to about 400 today, while the Park's population of Jaguars has been reduced from approximately 125 animals to around 40 over the same time span.

According to Dr. Eduardo Carrillo, the Director of the National University's research project, the decline in populations is due mainly to hunting of Chancho de Monte , which is the principal prey of the Jaguar and other large cats in and around the Park. These animals, which are hunted both for their meat and for sport, are key to the survival of large predators in Osa because of two characteristics: their relatively large size, and the fact that they travel in large packs of up to 80 animals. Other prey, which is smaller -and thus less nutritious- and much harder to find and catch, cannot support the existing predator population. As the population of Chancho de Monte declines, Jaguars leave the relative safety of the park, stalking easy prey among the domestic animals of nearby farms. Over the past few years, farmers protecting their homesteads have killed at least 8 jaguars.

Hunters seek the Cancho de Monte for the same reasons that jaguars do: their large size, and their relative ease to find - and to kill. The decline in the population of these animals is now reaching a critical stage. According to Dr. Carillo, if the population is further reduced it will no longer be viable, and will be displaced in the Osa by the Collared Peccary, which is much smaller, travels in much smaller bands, and is therefore more difficult to find. With the disappearance of the prey, the disappearance of the largest and least adaptable of its predators - in this case the jaguar - is inevitable.

All hunting in the Osa is illegal. Nevertheless, three types of hunters are active in the Osa and contributing to the present crisis: subsistence hunters, commercial poachers, and sport hunters. While there is some overlap between the three categories, in general terms the least threat is posed by subsistence hunters, who are from the region and generally hunt only what they eat. Gold miners, who work illegally on a small scale in the northern sector of the park, should be included in this category. In contrast to subsistence hunters, commercial and sport hunters, in some cases armed with automatic weapons, often kill large numbers of animals (again, the fact that Chancho de Monte travel in large packs facilitates massacres). The meat of these animals is commonly sold in the area, and sport hunters routinely travel to the Osa from throughout the country and, reportedly, even from other countries in Central America.

Besides Chancho de Monte , other animals frequently hunted for meat includes agouti , tepizquintle , wild turkeys and collared peccary. Sport hunters will also kill tapir and cats. Parrots and scarlet macaws are captured for sale as pets. As mentioned, farmers defending domestic animals outside of the boundaries of the parks are also increasingly killing predators.

According to Dr. Carrillo, because Corcovado is the site of the largest populations of endangered animals on the peninsula, it should be the highest priority for protection, first in order to first stabilize the populations in the park, and later to facilitate the re-population of adjoining forests (presently relatively vacant of wildlife) through the establishment and protection of biological corridors. However, there is also agreement by scientists that immediate efforts to control hunting throughout the region are necessary as well.

2. General Objective

To increase protection for Corcovado and Piedras Blancas National Parks (ACOSA - Corcovado Foundation), by eliminating hunting in National Parks.

I. CORCOVADO NATIONAL PARK

Over the past decade, Corcovado has seen a steady decline in its operating budget, to the point that most of the park was in effect abandoned to hunters. From a high of approximately sixty rangers in the early 1990s, by 2002 only ten rangers were posted in Corcovado, and these were often sent to address problems outside of the park. Regular rotation of these rangers (twenty days on duty, ten days free) meant that the effective staffing of the park was even less. The boundaries of the park were overgrown and unmarked, and park's infrastructure was crumbling. Over the past two years, private funds have been raised to clear and post the boundaries of the park, buy field equipment, make basic repairs to two stations, and hire an additional five rangers, which has permitted the resumption of regular patrols. However, the park remains seriously understaffed and basic infrastructure is lacking or in poor condition. Hunting activity is principally focused in the northwestern and southern sectors of the park. There is a pressing need in the short term to increase the presence and effectiveness of park staff in these two areas.

II. PIEDRAS BLANCAS NATIONAL PARK

Since its creation in 1992, Piedras Blancas has never had sufficient staffing or resources to provide adequate control over hunting and other resource extraction activities. In fact, Piedras Blancas has not even been consolidated territorially, with private lands comprising almost half of the legally declared extension of the park. While the Campaign and the government of Costa Rica are making good progress in purchasing the private lands remaining in the Park, hunters are decimating the area's wildlife. And, according to the administrator of the park, as control over hunting improves in Corcovado National Park, so does pressure on Piedras Blancas, as hunters seek areas where they are less likely to be harassed or captured.

Piedras Blancas has two rangers, both based in the community of La Gamba at the southern end of the park. These rangers were hired during 2003 with funding from the Austrian conservation group, VEREIN. Fortunately, the administration of the park has established good working relationships with the rural guard and COVIRENAs (see below) who cooperate closely with the rangers in conducting patrols in this sector of the park. At this point in time, there is no effective control over the rest of the park.

3. Results Obtained

There has been an outstanding response to this year big fund raising effort. The results were a success compare with previous years, as a result of a joint effort of ACOSA, the Corcovado Foundation and the support of donors and allies of the Osa. This year, it was possible to raise enough money to pay the salaries of 8 full time park rangers to patrol and protect Corcovado and Piedras Blancas National Parks, to keep paying the salary of a forestry engineer in order to coordinate the detection of anomalies in processing logging permits and to raise funds to repair the ministry's vehicles, purchase equipment and provide of supplies, very needed to effectively provide of protection to the National Parks and the surrounding natural resources.

Comparative Charter of Environmental Education Protection Actions during the second Semester of 2002 and 2003 Corcovado National Park

Summary of Environmental Education and Protection Actions performed at the Corcovado National Park during the second Semester of 2003

•  Control and Protection Actions performed: 152

•  Park ranger's patrols performed (field trips of 2 to 4 days): 55

•  Park ranger's patrols performed (field trips of 1 day): 97

•  Hunting and Gold extractions camps located and destroyed: 25

•  Charges filed before judiciary authorities: 20
•  Hunting: 7
•  Gold extraction: 11
•  Land occupation: 2

• People located without detention (miners): 15

• Support received from the Ministry of Security: 30 staff
• Support during 80 days

• Environmental Education Actions:
• 20 Talks, participating 392 people (students)
• 5 Workshops, participating 85 people
• 6 Meetings, participating 32 people
• 1 Special event to study and comprehend the trail importance in the Leona Sector

Regarding Piedras Blancas National Park, the two park rangers financed by the Regenwald Osterreicher, are located in the Gamba Community, at the office that the MINAE shares with the Community Security Program and the Ministry of Public Security. From this office both of them work supporting the control program to protect the The Golfito Wildlife Refuge, The IDA Reserve and the Piedras Blancas National Park.

The park rangers have been patrolling, responding to accusations or environmental complaints, going o exploration tours, as well as vigilance on the ranger stations and roads. Other activities they have been taking care of are:

•  Personalized response to key informers

•  Meetings with local groups of the community, such as Youth Groups, and Environmental Vigilance Committees)

•  Support to the personnel of the Bonito Ranger Station

•  Assistance for Environmental Training's and workshops

Chart 1

This chart shows the amount of hours dedicated to protection during the last years 4 quarters.

Chart No 2. Percentage of the time dedicated to protection efforts per group.

The first group reflects the amount of hours dedicated to protection by the regular park personnel, where the second group demonstrates the amount of hours dedicated by the personnel hired with the Regenwald Osterreicher funds. It is unmistakable that the newly hired personnel have been more active in protection efforts

Chart 2

•  Through the new employees hired and with the economical support of the CEPF there have been several different activities that has been going on such as community meetings, in which the Ministry has been evaluated by the local groups.

•  The capacity of response to the community request, since there are more human resources available has improved the communication and relationship with the community.

•  The comparison between the amounts of activities is merely of quantity and not of quality.

•  If we compare the first trimester with the last trimester, it is obvious that during the first trimester there were 37 protection activities, whereas in the last trimester there were 29 activities. However, during the first trimester there were only 2 accusations, where in the last trimester there were 5.

•  During the last two trimesters the activities of patrolling have covered a wider area than during the two previous months.

•  The fact that there has been resources for paying for provisions such as food and equipment has made it easier to stay for longer periods of time in the wild areas and also has permitted to bright along volunteers.

4. General Conclusions

The combination of efforts of MINAE, the communities, the Non Governmental Organizations and the financial support of donors, which primarily have been the fuel behind these efforts, are very encouraging. The achievements obtained are the combination of all these factors working together.

For the first time, in many years the MINAE have led an educational program in the Peninsula, the amount of citations and patrols made during this year doubled from the previous years and the presence of the park rangers among the communities has increased. The impact of this achievement is a newly regained control over the protected areas.

 5. Contributions and Contributors in numbers

Help us save Corvocado National Park
Details of the 2003 CST Study

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