Friends of the Osa's Wild Cats Project is the largest of its kind in all of Central America! The project is run by Costa Rican biologist and large cat specialist, Aida Bustamante, with the objective of significantly expanding the understanding of the population dynamics and extent of habitat necessary to support large mammals on the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica. The project focuses on collecting data from private properties outside the national system of protected areas, with particular emphasis along the threatened corridors between the Corcovado and Piedras Blancas National Parks, and between Corcovado National Park and the Osa National Wildlife Refuge.
The project uses remotely set ‘camera traps’ – two cameras facing each other to take pictures of any animals passing through the trap – over an area of 100 square kilometers. The pictures and resulting data collected from the camera traps will enable scientists to better understand the habitat requirements necessary for sustaining large, important species such as jaguars, pumas, peccaries and tapirs. This, in turn, will allow for more informed dialogue with decision-makers and government officials about the size and characteristics of protected areas necessary to fully protect these keystone species.
Want to help continue this project?
Please support this project by donating funds to adopt a camera trap. Your tax-deductible donations will go toward buying essential equipment for the project, and will expand the threatened areas which can be monitored through this effort. Since camera traps are strategically placed in high-traffic regions, even one additional camera trap placed in the field represents a significant increase in the area of land covered by this research, and the number of animals photographed and tracked by our researchers.
For a donation of $200, you can help buy a camera – one of the pair in the camera trap. In return, you will receive an email with the best pictures taken from your adopted camera, as well as a certificate recognizing your contribution to the project.
For a donation of $450, you can ‘adopt’ an entire camera trap and help us to extend our coverage of the Osa peninsula. In return, you will receive electronic images as well as a framed hard copy of the best picture from your cameras, signed by Aida, along with a brief description of your animal and its role in the ecosystem.
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Some photos from Aida's camera traps
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