Uncategorized / 07.02.2015

Submitted by: Juan Carlos Cruz Díaz, Feline Program Coordinator Strangler trees, mostly Fig trees, have evolved in a interesting way to take advantage of other trees for growing, especially in places where the thickness and canopy of the forest make scarce one of the most important elements in a plant’s life: light. The Osa Peninsula, one of the most biologically intense places in the world has more than 700 species of trees and 3000 species of plants which, in terms of competition and survival, is a lot for a plant. [caption...

Uncategorized / 02.02.2015

Hace unos meses mis fantásticos compañeros de DC me sugirieron que me vaya a la Península de Osa en Costa Rica para visitar a nuestras estaciones de campo y tal vez considerar tomar un rol permanente como coordinadora de voluntarios allí mismo. Al principio, como suele pasar con un evento que cambia la vida, tenía dudas. Cierto, había trabajado por Conservación Osa por más de un año, apoyado sus proyectos, y tenía una profunda fascinación con la idea de trabajar en el campo. Pero también había vivido casí toda...

Volunteers and Visitors / 01.02.2015

A few months ago it was suggested to me by my wonderful DC coworkers that I go down to the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica, visit our field stations, and maybe, just maybe, consider taking a permanent role on-site volunteer coordinator. At first, as usually occurs with any life-changing event, I was slightly skeptical. Sure, I had worked for Osa Conservation for over a year, supported it’s projects, and had a deep rooted fascination with being able to work “in the field,” but I had also lived most of...

Community Outreach, Environmental Education / 31.12.2014

Juan Carlos Cruz Diaz, Osa Conservation’s Wild Cat Program Coordinator, made a trip up to Westchester County in New York this year to visit Larry Regan and his son Jeremy Regan. The purpose of the visit was to check up on Jeremy and his camera trap mammal monitoring project that he had decided to introduce right in Westchester’s back yard. [caption id="attachment_7263" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Juan Carlos and Jeremy pose in front of a camera trap.[/caption] Like father like son – Larry Regan donated the first cameras that spearheaded Osa Conservation’s...

Uncategorized / 17.12.2014

La biodiversidad de las aves de la Península de Osa, alcanza más de 364 especies representando el 42% de la avifauna total de Costa Rica. Por esta razón es un paraíso para ornitólogos y amantes de las aves. Aves residentes y migratorias se pueden observar a simple vista tanto en zonas urbanas, como rurales y remotas. Con el objetivo de fomentar en los estudiantes jóvenes el conocimiento de esta riqueza en avifauna y el sentimiento de orgullo y pertenencia a la zona, en los últimos meses el programa de...

Aves, Community Outreach / 17.12.2014

Bird biodiversity on the Osa Peninsula extends upwards to about 364 species and therefor represents 42% of the total avifauna in Costa Rica. It is for that reason that Costa Rica has become a centralized mecca – a paradise, really - for ornithologist and bird lovers alike. Resident and migratory birds can be observed in all matter of locations: from far remote and rural, to urban. With the objective of expanding the young minds of the Osa Peninsula to the wealth of avian knowledge, and to also instill a...

Uncategorized / 20.10.2014

En una soleada mañana de Octubre en Playa Carate, celebramos el 6to Festival de Tortugas Marinas. Tuvimos la participación de más de 100 personas de la comunidad de Carate, comunidades vecinas y de Puerto Jiménez. Al ritmo de la música comenzamos el primer concurso familiar de esculturas en arena con el tema “La alimentación de las tortugas marinas”, teniendo tres familias ganadoras de camisetas con el diseño anual. Seguimos las actividades con la carrera de pistas, donde por grupos de tres niños deberían responder un cuestionario de diferentes preguntas...

Community Outreach, Marine Conservation, Sea Turtles / 20.10.2014

On a sunny October morning on Carate beach we had the joy of celebrating the 6th Annual Sea Turtle Festival. We had over 100 participants from the Carate community, neighboring communities and from Puerto Jimenez. To the rhythm of music we begun the first friendly competition: Sandy Sea Turtle Sculptures, with the theme being that of “What does a Sea Turtle eat?” We had three winning families, and they each took home t-shirts with the festivals yearly logo on it. We continued the fun and celebration by opening up...

Uncategorized / 15.10.2014

El Cotinga Pico Amarillo es un pájaro regional endémico que existe en las tierras bajas del Pacifico por la costa sur de Costa Rica y Norte Panama. Esta especies es indicada como estar en peligro de extinción por la organización ICUN y su lista roja gracias a una población baja de 298 – 794 individuales, y también por la disminución alta de la población. In los últimos anos Conservación Osa a directa do esfuerzos para estudiar este ave y su hábitat para poder conservar uno de los tesoros...

Marine Conservation / 24.09.2014

Written by: Juan Carlos Cruz Dias Coasts are continually in motion and are always a mixture of salt water and earth. The boundary between the ocean and land is in constant flux due to the tides. In the rocky areas along the shore the waves flood the pools made of rock only to slowly trickle out as the tide recedes. The many species these pools harbor are revealed as the waves ebb; some have become trapped there, while others have made this rocky habitat their home. [caption id="attachment_7020" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Photo...