As a proud partner of the Work with Nature - Adopt Rainforest Foundation, we like to keep you updated on news from Costa Rica. Since our last update, a lot has happened in the reserve. For instance, the protected area has now expanded to some 240 hectares, equivalent to more than 340 football fields. In this blog, you can read what is involved in protecting this area and what special new sightings have been made in the reserve.
Important purchase of large area
An important part of the recent expansions is the purchase of a 65-hectare piece of land. Of this piece of land, 40 hectares consists of existing rainforest adjacent to the already protected reserve. The remaining 25 hectares is currently pasture land, but will be reforested with native tree species. The special feature of the acquired area is that it forms an important link between the foundation's reserve and Barbilla National Park. A proper connection with this park is thus another step closer.
In addition, the constant expansion of the Adopt Rainforest reserve is of great importance for nature in Costa Rica. The area is part of the ecological connecting zone between the north and south of the country, which ensures that animals can migrate easily. In this connectivity zone, the pressure on the rainforest is high because there is little buffer space around the reserves and national parks. Adopt Rainforest is committed to increasing this buffer.
Two rangers employed to ensure protection
Recent major expansions have meant that the protected area is becoming increasingly vast. To continue protecting it, the foundation has employed two rangers. They will monitor the area and carry out maintenance where necessary. An important part of their work is to detect signs of illegal logging or hunting. Several camera traps have been installed in the reserve, which the rangers check for the possible presence of hunters and poachers.
New animals spotted
In our previous update, we mentioned that a baby howler monkey had recently been spotted in the reserve for the first time. Meanwhile, another new animal can be added to the sighting list. The Hourglass Tree Frog (Dendropsophus ebraccatus) was recently observed, a species of frog that is not that rare but had not yet been spotted in the reserve. With this, the protected area of the Adopt Rainforest Foundation already counts as many as 34 different frog species.
There is also good news about the Green Macaw, a critically endangered species of parrot. During an international census designed to understand the state of the bird, a hearing sighting of two individual Green Macaws was in fact made at the reserve. This is good news as the foundation is working hard to welcome a breeding pair to the reserve. One way they are doing this is by planting almond trees, the parrot species' main food source, and hanging nest boxes.
Read our previous update on the Adopt Rainforest Foundation here
