"There may be no better place in all of Central America to study tropical ecology than the Osa Biodiversity Center.
The Osa Peninsula contains a nearly intact fauna, including jaguars, tapirs, white-lipped peccaries, curassows, macaws, and other sensitive species. The
diversity of wildlife is astonishing. Moreover, the Center provides
first-rate facilities and a fine trail network for investigating forests
of all ages, coastal ecosystems, and a variety of agricultural lands. I
recommend it enthusiastically."
–Dr. David Wilcove, Professor of Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Public Affairs, Princeton University
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Who can stay there?
The OBC provides comfortable accommodations and research facilities for students, scientists, and conservation professionals working on the Osa.
The center currently houses up to 21 people in three cabin-style buildings, each of which has three bedrooms. The center provides a laboratory and secure storage room as well as dining facilities that can be used for group meals and meetings. The lab is spacious, with multiple sinks and benches for working with samples of all kinds.
Where is the OBC?
The OBC is located nearby to Corcovado National Park, the crown jewel of the Costa Rican park system. Within its borders, students and scientists can explore additional habitats, including extensive raffia palm swamps and lagoon systems.
The OBC’s greatest asset is its close proximity to a tremendous diversity of ecosystems. The center lies on an 800-acre tract of forested habitat, providing easy access to some of the most diverse old-growth rainforest in Central America. Within walking distance are a variety of pristine and disturbed forest types that harbor some of the largest trees to be found in the neotropical rainforest, agro-ecological systems, freshwater streams, and coastal habitat. The forests surrounding the OBC are home to a diverse array of large mammals, including jaguars, tapirs, and peccaries.
Cooperative use arrangements with owners of adjacent properties provide students and scientists based at the OBC with access to an additional 3,000 acres of intact habitat.
What is the experience like?
During the wet season (May through November) the beaches near the OBC are visited by large numbers of nesting Olive Ridley sea turtles, as well as a smaller number of Pacific Green turtles, Leatherbacks and Hawksbill turtles. The rocky section of the beach features a diversity of rock types and tidal pool fauna.
The Rio Piro runs through the center of our property, from forested hills out to the coast. This watershed includes a variety of springs and smaller tributaries. The river has a dynamic estuary and associated floodplain and riparian habitats.
The Golfo Dulce is one of only four tropical fjords in the world, possessing a variety of marine and coastal habitats, including mangroves. Given its peculiar oceanographic characteristics it has great scientific and ecological value. Two resident dolphins inhabit the gulf, the Bottlenose Dolphin and the Spotted Dolphin, and it is visited by even larger cetaceans like the Humpback Whale.
A network of trails and old farm roads provides access to all of these habitats. Within a short drive, there is access to brackish lagoons with abundant crocodilian, estuarine fish and wetland bird populations.
What can we do for your group?
Friends of the Osa can provide pickup truck transportation, instruction on an array of topics, itineraries and guides for single day or extended excursions. We also welcome volunteers to help on a number of conservation-related projects.
Friends of the Osa is currently taking reservations for station use by student groups and researchers. To find out more about bringing your group to the OBC or staying at the station as a researcher please email: info@osaconservation.org
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