Conservation reserve
- Creation of a conservation reserve protecting 35 000+ acres of crucial lands between the heart of the Osa Peninsula and the highlands of the Talamanca Mountain Range
- A unique ecosystem hosting 3% of worldwide biodiversity
- Construction of a biological station welcoming scientists, students, volunteers, visitors, and rangers involved in various conservation programs
A RACE Against time
Over the past century, nearly 60% of the primary rainforests in the Osa Peninsula have been cleared or heavily altered to make way for agriculture and grazing lands, despite their ecological significant importance. Today, the remaining areas of primary rainforests that have survived deforestation hold immeasurable value. Most of these lands still belong to farmers, many of whom are willing to sell to the highest bidder, typically agribusiness giants (palm oil plantations, pineapple farms, banana plantations, cattle ranching). Their protection is an urgent matter, which is why we are engaged in negotiations with landowners to acquire these lands and protect them while there is still time.
A large-scale conservation story
The area to be protected covers over 35 000+ acres (approximately the size of the City of Miami) and is divided into hundreds of properties of varying sizes. By acquiring them one by one, Las Oncas will protect a vast forested territory, turning this area into a conservation reserve comparable to the greatest national parks of Costa Rica in terms of biodiversity.
Located between the Osa Peninsula and the Talamanca Mountain Range, these lands represent the only remaining biological corridor to date. This crucial path allows wildlife to move freely from one area to another, ensuring the long-term survival of endangered species such as the jaguar.
KINGDOM OF THE JAGUARS
By funding Las Oncas' Conservation Reserve, each donator allows the study and protection of the last jaguars of Costa Rica's South Pacific, enabling the collection of crucial data and the monitoring of each of the individuals still inhabiting this wild and isolated area.
Osa peninsula & talamanca mountain range, costa Rica
After years exploring the wildest rainforests of Costa Rica's South Pacific and monitoring jaguars, we have identified the two key areas in need of conservation efforts outside of existing national parks. Establishing a sanctuary and safeguarding the most crucial lands for jaguars from the Talamanca Mountain Range to the Osa Peninsula is essential to reinforce their populations. By building base camps on both sides, serving as operational centers we will ensure studies and field action in optimal facilities.
BASECAMP
In order to carry-out our work in the field, we will build our first basecamp in the Talamanca Mountain Range. This basecamp will be designed to evolve over time into a fully functional biological station, designed to host the scientific community, researchers and volunteers for short or long-term stays under the best conditions. Equipped with all the necessary facilities such as workspaces, a conference room, and a modern infrastructure, this station will serve as the optimal location for studying and monitoring jaguars. A team of rangers will be based on-site, responsible for patrolling the reserve.
This biological station will also host public events featuring prominent figures in conservation. These events will include the opportunity to go on expeditions led by experts, offering a unique and immersive experience in the heart of the jungle.
The basecamp, built on a former pasture, will be meticulously crafted with sustainable and environmentally conscious materials, ensuring minimal ecological impact. Furthermore, it will be designed to operate independently of external energy sources, utilizing renewable technologies such as solar panels to achieve complete energy self-sufficiency within a remote area.
conservation programs
Las Oncas will implement various conservation programs within the reserve, each serving a distinct purpose in preserving biodiversity and promoting ecosystem restoration. While the Jaguar Program remains central to our conservation efforts, we recognize the need for a multifaceted approach to conservation. Therefore, we have established several complementary programs to address specific conservation challenges and contribute to the overall ecological balance of the area.
These programs will be developed in partnership with external experts from the scientific community, leveraging their expertise to ensure the impact of our conservation initiatives. Also, these conservation programs will be open to volunteers, allowing everyone to take part in their development.
JAGUAR PROGRAM
The lands protected by the reserve are the crossroads of the jaguar's travel routes between the Osa Peninsula and the Talamanca Mountain Range. With the Jaguar Program, each individuals are detected and identified. By monitoring them on the long term via our camera trap network, we are able to collect key informations about their evolution through space and time. The data gathered are used to analyze jaguars' behavior, movement patterns and population estimates, allowing us to understand the species dynamic and to improve the effectiveness of conservation actions.
BUSHMASTER PROGRAM
The black-headed bushmaster is not only the longest viper in the world but also an extremely rare snake in danger of extinction. Endemic to the South Pacific area of Costa Rica, the lands protected by Las Oncas sit at the heart of the species' range. Using the knowledge of our herpetological team and taking advantage of modern GPS chips, The Bushmaster Program will collect essential information such as biometric data, population density, and movement patterns to understand this legendary snake.
AIR PROGRAM
On a regular basis, birds will be captured and banded in the different ecosystems of the reserve. The Air Program will enable us to compare the diversity of bird species in each one of them, and to follow the frequentation of marked individuals from year to year. The data collected will enrich knowledge on the migration of species, their fidelity to an identified site as well as the decline or changes within bird populations over time.
MONITORING PROGRAM
The Monitoring Program aims to comprehensively catalog all wildlife species existing within the reserve lands, document their abundance, their behavior, monitor the evolution of their populations or yet to discover new species. We will leverage our extensive camera traps network and collaborate closely with experts during field surveys to meticulously collect, analyze, and interpret all relevant data and information.
REWILDING PROGRAM
Las Oncas' lands includes areas of primary rainforest as well as areas that have been deforested to make way for agriculture and livestock. In order to restore the natural balance and in partnership will local communities, we will implement the Rewilding Program, which consists of reforestation and ecosystem restoration efforts. To achieve this landscape transformation, each fence erected in the past will be removed to allow the free movement of wildlife, native flora will replace introduced pasture grass and old wetlands will be restored, enhancing habitat connectivity.
Involving local
communities
The social dimension is at the core of Las Oncas' approach. The objective is to involve as many people as possible in the field, and therefore the missions naturally take place in collaboration with the local community.
Whether they are farmers, former poachers, gold miners, forest rangers, nature guides, or even students, each of them have valuable knowledge of the area and are thus part of the solution.
Support us!
By protecting the crucial habitats necessary for jaguars' survival, Las Oncas will also conserve the primary rainforest and the entire biodiversity that lie between the already protected areas of the region. The funds collected will be used to buy strategic lands, set up conservation programs and cover the costs of all the infrastructure and logistics needed to create a private, everlasting and independent reserve.