COSTA RICA JAGUAR CONSERVATION PROJECT - A 21-Day Wildlife Conservation Program

COSTA RICA
  JAGUAR CONSERVATION PROJECT
  A 21-Day Wildlife Conservation Program

                                                                     PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
                                                  •   Assist Scientists with Jaguar Research in the Rainforests
                                                  •   Zipline Through the Monteverde Cloud Forest
                                                  •   Work Alongside Biologists Patrolling Beaches During a Sea
                                                      Turtle Conservation Project
                                                  •   Hike to the Active Poás Volcano, the Second Largest
                                                      Volcanic Crater in the World
                                                  •   Snorkel Through Vibrant Coral Reefs and Watch for
                                                      Humpback Whales at Isla del Caño
                                                  •   Look For Rarely-Seen Nocturnal Animals During a Guided
                                                      Rainforest Night Hike
                                                  •   30 Hours of Community Service

Spotlight Project: Jaguar Research in Corcovado National Park
Costa Rica is home to many beautiful national parks, but Corcovado on the Osa Peninsula is one of the country’s most
pristine. Barely disturbed by human presence, Cocorvado is home to many endangered animals, including jaguars,
ocelots, and tapirs. Here we work on a wildlife monitoring project led by local researchers who are committed to
protecting jaguars and their rainforest home. We meet with a former hunter who shows us the tracking skills he
now uses to find rare animals for conservation purposes instead of for food. During our time here we learn how
to monitor and estimate jaguar populations and we help biologists set up and check motion-sensing cameras for
footage of these iconic jungle felines. The data we collect will help scientists better understand the behavior of
these secretive cats, and create more impactful conservation and management practices that benefit not just the
jaguars, but all the unique animals that call the rainforest home.

SAMPLE ITINERARY

Day 1 Travel Day and Poas Volcano
      Participants are met by their leaders in either Miami or San Jose, Costa Rica on the first day of the
      program (students have an option to take a group flight out of Miami). Once the group is gathered,
      we travel together to a local bed and breakfast in the suburbs of San Jose. We get our first taste
      of the natural beauty that Costa Rica offers during a visit to nearby Poas Volcano, one of the most
      accessible active volcanoes in the world. Bubbling sulfuric lakes and smoking fumaroles reveal the
      volcanic history that helped shaped this country, and a visit to the summit gives us a close-up view
      of a region of the earth that is still in formation.
                                                                           Accommodations: Airport Hotel

Day 3 Monteverde Institute and Cloud Forest Zipline
      Our adventure continues as we travel to the lush northern highlands, where humid Pacific winds cool
      as they flow up the mountains, forming misty, fairytale-like cloud forests. Called the “jewel in the
      crown of cloud forest reserves” by National Geographic and one of the Seven Natural Wonders of
      Costa Rica, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is home to thousands of species, including howler
      monkeys, gorgeous orchids, iconic red-eyed tree frogs and the sacred resplendent quetzal. Here we
      meet the dedicated staff of the Monteverde Institute, a community-based organization that works
      to promote sustainable living for the people of Costa Rica and the world. We take to the skies for
      an unforgettable birds-eye view of the rainforest canopy through a series of suspension bridges and
      exciting zip lines!
                                                                             Accommodations: Local hotel

Day 6 Protecting Sea Turtles on the Nicoya Peninsula
      Next, we travel to an important nesting beach for endangered green, hawksbill, and leatherback sea
      turtles, the largest species of sea turtle in the world. We spend the next three days working with
      biologists from a non-profit conservation project to protect hundreds of turtle nests and thousands
      of new hatchings. This includes nightly beach patrols to look for female turtles, which are measured
      and tagged; the scientific data is used to improve local and global conservation efforts. Newly laid
      eggs are carefully collected and moved to a hatchery where they can be protected from poaching
      and predators. Once hatchlings emerge from the nests, we protect them from predators like crabs
      and birds as they crawl to the Pacific ocean. Since the majority of the turtle work is done at night,
      there is normally plenty of time during the day to relax, catch up on sleep, or enjoy activities like
      surfing, swimming, or exploring nearby tide pools.
                                                                    Accommodations: Beach guesthouses

Day 10 Manuel Antonio National Park
      Traveling down the coast, we pass through a series of small, artsy beach towns renowned for their
      world-class surf breaks and relaxed atmosphere. Eventually, we enter the quaint community of Manuel
      Antonio, gateway to the namesake nature park. The hiking trails of Manuel Antonio National Park
      provide one of the best opportunities to see two- and three-toed sloths, green iguanas, coatis, three
      species of monkeys and more than 350 species of birds. Visiting this area also allows us to compare
      the country’s most popular park with the remote and pristine Corcovado National Park we visit next,
      giving us an opportunity to observe the impact of human presence on wildlife. Some downtime
      allows us to enjoy the picture-perfect white-sand beaches or snorkel in the coral reefs close to shore.
                                                                     Accommodations: Beach Guesthouses

Day 13 Osa Peninsula
      The next section of our wildlife adventure brings us to the most remote part of Costa Rica, the richly
      forested Osa Peninsula. This beautiful region includes Corcovado National Park and holds Central
      America’s only remaining tract of lowland Pacific rain forest. Our week is spent at an ecolodge with
      130 acres of beach-front nature reserve on the border of the park, which provides a wildlife sanctuary
      where biologists conduct research on endangered species like jaguars and Baird’s tapirs. Assisting
      the researchers and local guides with our spotlight project, we learn how to track jaguars, set up
      and check camera traps, monitor populations, and facilitate conservation projects. Our days are
      filled with activities including a whale-watching tour to nearby humpback whale nursery grounds,
      snorkeling among the marine life and coral reefs at Caño Island Marine Reserve, authentic Costa
      Rican cooking classes, and hikes to a remote waterfall where we swim and relax in refreshing natural
      swimming pools. In the evenings, we watch the beautiful sunset over the Pacific ocean from our own
      private beach, undisturbed by tourists, vehicles, and the cacophony of civilization.
                                                                                Accommodations: Ecolodge

Day 20 Final Celebrations in San Jose and Departure
       For our final day and night in Costa Rica, we return to San Jose to celebrate our accomplishments
       with a closing ceremony and a final feast with our new friends. Eventually, all good things must come
       to an end and we head to the San Jose airport for our departures, ready to share our experiences
       and memories with family and friends back at home.
                                                                   Accommodations: San Jose guesthouse

                    Want to Learn More? Contact the Regional Director:

                    Brent Anderson | Regional Director: Costa Rica
                    Brent@arccprograms.com
                    415-332-5075 Ext. 251