GIVING BACK
KIDS SAVING THE RAINFOREST Last December whilst travelling through Costa Rica, I was able to visit the Kids Saving the Rainforest (KSTR) project. Located in Manuel Antonio National Park on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, this wildlife conservation charity was founded in 1999 by Janine Licare and Aislin Livingstone, who were both just nine years old at the time. The girls noticed that the jungle was receding and that animals were suffering as a result, so they set to work trying to save the rainforest and its inhabitants. Initially, they attempted to raise money by selling painted rocks and papier-mâché art by the road, but soon realised they would need a bit more cash to save the jungle. So, they started working on their first conservation project: building monkey bridges. The ongoing monkey bridge project is one of KSTR’s success stories and has helped to restore the endemic titi (squirrel) monkey population. The bridges – which come in the form of thick ropes – are strung up across roads, so the monkeys can cross safely without risk of being hit by cars or electrocuted when climbing across the electric wires. There are around 3,000 squirrel monkeys left – a huge increase on the numbers recorded a few years ago, which put the population at around 1,200 to 1,500. Jacada Travel donate money through the Latin America Travel Association and that money has enabled KSTR to release the first squirrel monkey troop in Costa Rica. One of the released females now has a baby, and another of the troop is currently pregnant, all of which is good news for the squirrel monkey population. Today the charity – run by Janine’s mother, Jennifer Rice, who I meet when I arrive – still maintains the monkey bridges, alongside running a wildlife sanctuary and rescue centre. It is the only legal rescue centre focusing on the rehabilitation of wounded, sick or abandoned animals on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, with two full-
Latin America destination expert Lily Bunker reports on her visit to the Kids Saving the Rainforest centre on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast.
time biologists, a vet and a vet technician on site. The centre sees around 200 animals rescued every year with a 55% release rate (the average rate is around 33%). The animals that can never be released back into the wild due to being permanently disabled or having been raised in captivity, live in the sanctuary under the care of a full-time wildlife manager. There’s also an educational centre to teach people about the importance of protecting the rainforest. Private or group tours are available for anyone interested in the work of KSTR. I start my day by preparing meals for the rescued wildlife with some other volunteers, before we head out for feeding time with the keepers. Chip, Jennifer’s husband, tells me about some of the project’s successes and the amount of work and dedication it has taken to release these animals back into the wild. I learn how the animals end up here, which is usually through being injured or orphaned. The sanctuary takes in various Costa Rican animals, including sloths, monkeys, porcupines and parrots. They don’t let you handle any of the wildlife and most of the baby animals are off-limits to guests, as they need to have as little human contact as possible. After being shown around the sanctuary, you can have lunch and then, if you have time, take part in an activity such as swimming, foraging or even painting with the monkeys who love getting creative with fruit and vegetable dyes. The next project KSTR is focusing on is sloth conservation. Very little is known about sloth ecology and behaviour, so more research is vital before the animals can be effectively protected. The money Jacada Travel donate will be put towards this project. Jacada Travel support Kids Saving the Rainforest by donating a set amount of the profits from each trip to Latin America they plan. GIVING BACK
71
