RESERVe

Throughout the evolution of Earth, nature managed to unfold itself rugged, untouched and uncharted. Experiencing cultural development and expansion through ages, humankind relentlessly tried to dominate the wilderness. Amidst the world’s richest ecosystem, Las Oncas conservation reserve is on a mission to help preserve and protect the lands on which this concentrate of life depends.

After several years spent exploring the jungles of the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica and developing Tico's Wild Studio's jaguar project, we are now taking our work to the next level, creating a natural reserve where this iconic animal will play a key role.

By protecting the last primary forests and their biodiversity, Las Oncas will preserve the main route used by jaguars between the already protected areas of the region. Through the Fondation Sauvage, the funds collected will be used to buy strategic lands, set up conservation programs and cover the costs of all the infrastructure and logistics needed to create a private, everlasting and independent reserve.

The biological station will regularly host interventions by conservation actors during conferences open to the public and broadcast live on social networks. These exchanges will be followed by expeditions leaded by the speaker in order to share a unique and immersive experience in the heart of the jungle.

explorer

Afin d'accueillir les visiteurs et de mener à bien les différents projets dans les meilleures conditions, une station biologique dotée de toutes les facilités sera située au cœur de la réserve. Cette station, ayant la capacité de loger une trentaine de personnes (volontaires, scientifiques, touristes, rangers), sera reliée à un vaste réseau de sentiers qui desservira les zones d'intérêts de la réserve. Cette station biologique sera le camp de base idéal pour l'exploration et l'étude de la forêt tropicale la plus sauvage du Costa Rica.

explore

In order to welcome visitors and carry out the various projects in the best conditions, a biological station equipped with all the facilities will be located in the heart of the reserve. This station, with the capacity to accommodate about thirty people (volunteers, scientists, tourists, rangers), will be linked to a vast network of paths which will serve the areas of interest of the reserve. This biological station will be the ideal base camp for exploring and studying the wildest tropical forest in Costa Rica.

Programs

Las Oncas will carry out different conservation programs within the reserve. These will be open to volunteering, allowing everyone to take part in their development. In addition, awareness actions will involve students, surrounding businesses and members of local communities. Through these initiatives we will dive into the very heart of issues such as poaching, intensive agriculture, urbanization and deforestation.

JAGUAR PROGRAM

The lands protected by the reserve are the crossroads of the jaguar's travel routes on the Osa Peninsula. Through Tico's Wild Studio's jaguar project, individuals are detected and identified. By monitoring them on the long-term, we are able to collect key informations and share them with the scientific community. The data gathered is used to analyse the jaguar's behavior and improve the effectiveness of conservation actions.

bushmaster program

This rare snake is the longest viper in the world. Endemic to the South Pacific area of Costa Rica, Las Oncas Reserve is at the heart of its range. Using the knowledge of the herpetological team of our biological station, and using GPS chips, a monitoring program will be set up to collect essential informations for understanding this legendary snake such as biometric data, density of the species or the evolution of individuals in space and time.

air program

On a regular basis, birds will be captured and banded in the different ecosystems of the reserve. This program will enable us to compare the diversity of species in each one of them, and to follow the frequentation of marked individuals from year to year. The data collected will enrich knowledge on the migration of species, their fidelity to an identified site as well as the decline or changes within bird populations over time.

wildlife monitoring program

The monitoring project aims to list all the species living within the reserve, document their abundance, their behavior, monitor the evolution of their populations or yet to discover new species. We will use our network of camera traps and the expertise of specialists partners to gather and interpret all the key informations.

rewilding program

Las Oncas reserve includes areas of primary millennial forest as well as areas that have been deforested to make way for agriculture and livestock. In order to restore the natural balance and in partnership will local communities, we will implement a program of reforestation and rewilding. In the continuity of this effort, each fence erected in the past will be removed to allow the free movement of wildlife.

OSA Peninsula

The area to be protected is home to a wide range of ecosystems, some of which are particularly rare and have survived deforestation. Mostly intact and yet still threatened, these forests represent a unique sample of the different environments that make up the Osa Peninsula.

EcosystEmS

Evergreen lowland rainforest

Lower mountain rainforest

Upper mountain rainforest

Tropical cloud forest

Swamp forest

Mangrove forest

Secondary vegetation

Cultivated land and pastures

Corcovado National Park

All ecosystems

Evergreen lowland rainforest

Lower mountain rainforest

Upper mountain rainforest

Tropical cloud forest

Swamp forest

Mangrove forest

Secondary vegetation

Cultivated land and pastures

Corcovado National Park

All ecosystems

Located on the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica, the Osa Peninsula is one of the wildest and most pristine regions on the planet. Its primary forests alone are home to 2.5% of the world's biodiversity. This unique concentration of life makes the Osa Peninsula one of the greatest place for conservation in Central America.

FaunA

With 140 species of mammals, 450+ of birds, 108 of reptiles and 50 of amphibians, and over 6,000 invertebrates, the Osa Peninsula has the highest density of species per square mile in the world. Some are iconic, such as the Baird's tapir, the black-headed bushmaster, the scarlet macaw not to mention herds of white-lipped peccaries and a population of jaguars that still hide there. The protection of this area is essential to the survival of this millennial heritage.

Jaguar

The jaguar (Panthera onca) is the largest feline in America. It spends most of its time hidden in the heart of the rainforest. Rare and endangered, only a few individuals remain on the Osa Peninsula. Located at the top of the food chain, it fulfills the role of super predator. Thus, it acts as a regulator preventing the proliferation of its prey and keeps its ecosystem in balance. As an umbrella species, its needs include those of many other species. By protecting the jaguar, we are therefore protecting the entire ecosystem of which it is a part.

Our scientific missions includes the study and conservation of the last jaguars of the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica. Our goal is to collect crucial data and list each of the individuals still living in this wild and isolated area. Here is a glimpse of the remaining jaguars already detected by our team.

For more, checkout www.ticoswildstudio.com