News + Stories

Blogpost written by Eli Boreth,  9 years old Conservation Volunteer This Butterfly Isn't Blue [caption id="attachment_10941" align="aligncenter" width="800"] Credit: Active Wild[/caption]   This is a Blue Morpho Butterfly. This butterfly lives in tropical and neotropical (which are slightly drier) rainforests in Mexico and Central America, and throughout South America. Although this butterfly looks blue, it has no blue pigment. It appears blue because of how its wing scales are structured. The wing scales are made up of cells that are shaped like Christmas trees. When light bounces off the “branches” of these...

Blogpost written by Luis Carlos Solis, Asistencia Técnica   World Wetlands Day is celebrated on February 2 of each year, the date on which the Convention on Wetlands was adopted. Wetland is all those areas that remain flooded or at least, with soils saturated with water for long periods of time – thus, water defines its structure and ecological functions. Wetlands are vital for human survival. As one of the most productive ecosystems on the planet, they harbor a biological diversity and water sources on which countless species of plants...

Blogpost by Luis Carlos Solis, Asistencia Técnica We are excited to present the results of the "First Junior Christmas Bird Count, Península de Osa 2017" in conjunction with the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin, Fundación Neotrópica and 16 educational centers in the Osa. During this special day, participants saw a total of 93 different species and 595 individual birds! Throughout the event, school children learned about the importance of local and migratory birds and their habitat,  helping to create the next generation of guardians for Osa's natural heritage. The logo of...

Blogpost written by Hanae Garrison,  Volunteer 4:30 am - I rise before the sun has woken up and while the nocturnal organisms are still out. I shove some food into my body in preparation of the day ahead. Another volunteer and I are staying at the cabins near the farm, where Osa Conservation grows much of their fresh vegetables, fruits, medicinal plants, and cares for their animals, restoration plots, botanic garden and much more. 5:00 am - After gearing up with our head lamps and day packs, we head out...

Blogpost by Patrick Newcombe, Volunteer and Student Researcher My time at Osa Conservation’s biological station was an incredible experience, full of birds, nature, and exploration in the tropical rainforest. It was particularly meaningful as I got to follow up on my highschool ornithology research in the Osa and present it at the Society for Neuroscience conference in Washington, D.C. [caption id="attachment_10804" align="aligncenter" width="387"] Society for Neuroscience Conference[/caption] Over 30,000 people from 80+ countries attended the annual meeting, which filled DC’s convention center. I presented a poster that included my research on...

Blogposts written by Cornell College students Cornell College visited our biological station for week-long field trip. While at the station, they collaborated with our science team, carried out primate point count surveys every morning and afternoon, and participated in the sea turtle program. The primate data collected will be analyzed and paired with the dung beetle research we have been carrying out, investigating the patterns of this link. The students worked incredibly hard trekking through the jungle for hours and we can’t thank them enough. Below is a series...

Blogpost by Luis Carlos Solis, Asistencia Técnica Each year from the middle of December through early January, Christmas bird counts are organized worldwide. These counts consist of the identification and registration of the number of bird species observed in a given period of time. This tradition has been established in the world of bird watchers and is taught to each new generation. The Osa Peninsula is no exception to this tradition, as different organizations collaborate in December for one day to participate in tracking the progress of endangered species and...