Save the Amazon: Protect Jaguars and Wildlife

Dear Donors, Fundraisers and our amazing supporters! 

We have been truly amazed by the support of all our donors over the past few years helping us raise over $40,000 on and off GlobalGiving and every penny of this went to our project that worked with our local partners CJC. 

This year we are excited to announce that our project partner felt confident to take the lead and continue the project alone after the support we have offered them they have now built a sustainable future for their project within the local community. This is such a great success and we are so pleased to leave them continuing their impact. 

So what is next? Well all the funds have now been spent so our drive over the next few months is to push donations and fundraise as much as possible and we hope this is where you come in, we would love for you to continue to help us through donations as well as sharing our updates with friends and family so we can raise enough funds to kick start the next phase of our project. 

Once we have enough support we will be formalising our partnership with a number of local community influencers, researchers and the Costa Rican Ministry of Environment, Energy and Technology (MINET) who are heading up an amazing community outreach program that is engaging local communities and educating them on the wildlife on their doorstep and how they have an impact on their future. 

We will continue our research on Jaguars and other wildlife that is resident in the Costa Rican Jungle but we also hope that as our project develops we will be able to help bring a network of local authorities and community members together to fight for the samne goal.  

Our project just doesn't stop at research and awareness we also want to work with local community members to help improve infrastructure to begin the long road ahead to transition to renewable energy as this is very important within the conservation area across Costa Rica. 

We also will be introducing opportunities for our supporters to visit our project in the near future so if you want to get involved further then get in touch, as this project is relaunching we are also looking for a corporate partnership to help grow this project and if you feel you can help please get in touch with us or the GlobalGiving team! 

Thank you again and we are looking forward to the next chapter! 

Dear Donors, Fundraisers and Supporters,

I's time to give yourself a pat on the back for making another milestone in our project in Costa Rica. At the end of May our research project has become fully sustainable that we been able to end our partnership but th work is still continuing. With your help this is another project that is self sustaining so thank you! 

With this in mind we are still facing a huge crisis in protecting our rainforest in Costa Rica and so we begin our next part of the journey where we will be running mulitple research projects alongside a local outreach program to help educate the wider community of the issues we are facing and how they can help prevent it dying out. We have an outreach team currently preparing and getting ready to hit he streets but we now are actively fundraising essential funds to help cover outreach educational materials and local event attendance costs to ensure we maximise our reach. 

The future is bright but we can't stop our efforts just yet/ 

Thanks for being apart of our mission.

Tyrone, Shayle, Chelsea and the whole Action Change Costa Rica Team!

Introduction 

Jaguars and Turtles are both threatened species for different reasons. Jaguars have been pushed into smaller areas due to human development. Turtles are poached for their meat and shells and suffer due to human interference. We find jaguars preying on nesting turtles in Costa Rica. We need to use research to create awareness locally and internationally and assess the impact on species and habitats through funding research and assisting anti-poaching patrols.

Report 

After 10 years of research, we better understand the critical nature of the habitat to turtles, jaguars and other species listed as endangered or critically vulnerable in the red list of IUCN. Using this research we can better educate the local community and engage them to support action to preserve these Species which will also generate income for the locals. Just $20 will purchase a 32gig storage card which is critical for storing footage captured on our camera traps!

Thank you for your suppor

Dear Supporters,

Unfortunately for us all here at Jalova, the end of March saw our gates closing due to the Covid-19 crisis. Even with our gates closed, we have been able to help out the local community with their tree planting, beach cleaning and anti-poaching efforts amongst a town thrown into economic crisis. Without tourism the local economy has been reduced dramatically, leaving many people struggling but they are still banding together to protect their town and the local turtles who call Tortuguero home.

With the majority of staff and participants returning home when the crisis began, it has been up to local partners and the few remaining staff members to maintain the passion and integrity of our projects during this time. 

The town of Tortuguero itself has experienced a terrible loss of its economic revenue during this period, as the local economy is almost solely driven by tourism. This has unfortunately led to an increase in poaching activity within the National Park which has been particularly impacting the local turtle population. To help combat the increase in poaching, the remaining staff have been working with our partners at the Sea Turtle Conservancy (STC) and local volunteers by participating in daily turtle monitoring surveys. While working with the STC we have been able to participate in local tree planting, a beach clean in conjunction with the local rangers and volunteers collecting over 200kg of rubbish and the protection of thousands of sea turtles through nightly beach patrols and morning surveys. 

Over the last 3 months we have watched the transition from Leatherback to Green turtle season, welcoming the thousands of Green turtles who nest in Tortuguero National Park every year. We have also seen an increase in the local Hawksbill sea turtle population from last year, which is incredible news as this is a critically endangered species. Hatchling season has also begun, with hundreds of tiny tracks scattered along the beach. With SDG 14 - Life Below Water - being the focus these past 3 months, it is incredible to see these animals making their way to our shores with increasing numbers.

While we have been unable to fundraise during this time, it won’t be long before we are back up and running and looking for the support of our incredible donors to help us reach our goals. Once our gates are open, we will need your support to make repairs, obtain new scientific equipment such as camera traps and to provide us with the never ending motivation to clean up our beaches after our months of absence. So we are calling on all of our supporters to hold tight, have faith and see the beauty that still exists in this world during this difficult time! We will be back before you know it and that return can only be possible with the strength and dedication of our supporters! 

While this quarter has been a challenging one amongst the COVID-19 crisis, we have still been able to support our local community and protect the turtles we love. Our next challenge will be maintaining our high spirits until our gates are able to reopen and we couldn’t do that without you! The Jalova field team could not have held strong or achieved so much with so few resources without the help of you – our supporters – and we cannot thank you enough for your constant support and generosity!

With Gratitude,

Costa Rica Conservation

Dear Supporters,

This quarter our staff and participants have collected over 136kg of trash from our beach, installed over 50 sign posts and installed 4 camera traps in preparation for the beginning of the jaguar and turtle seasons here in Tortuguero National Park. The tireless work of our participants is so crucial to having a successful season and we couldn’t be prouder of everyone's hard work! Our interns have also been working hard to lead the team in designing and installing a new garden bed and painting a new mural for base. Every little improvement helps to make Jalova more eco-friendly and welcoming for everyone! 

Building projects aside, Jalova had an influx of incredible sightings over the last three months! From vine snakes eating whiptails to jaguars bouncing down forest trails and kingfishers fishing along the canals, we’ve seen it all! Heavy rains in January meant that the frogs were flourishing, and many evenings were spent out in the coconut plantation following their mating calls for a glimpse. There’s nothing quite like wading through the swamps to find our amphibian friends!

Being a hot humid jungle means that the life of our electrical equipment is significantly shortened, and we often need to replace crucial monitoring equipment part-way through the season. Something absolutely essential for our jaguar project are our camera traps! Jalova is in desperate need of a new set of cameras, which are due for purchase ASAP! Any support or donations to the trust would be amazing to help us obtain these important pieces of equipment! You’re continued support means that we can work to protect and better understand elusive creatures such as the jaguar, and better protect their habitat within Tortuguero National Park.

The largest impact that we have made together is through our monthly beach cleans. By supporting our fundraising efforts, your support is a constant motivation to collect more and clean greater areas to make our beaches a cleaner place. These beach cleans not only link with SDG 14 – life below water – but also with SDG 15 – life on land – because while our beaches are crucial for our nesting sea turtles, they are important habitat for jaguars and other land reptiles too.

Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 our research base at Jalova has been forced into hibernation. We are calling all our supporters to not lose sight of the bigger picture during this time! As once we reopen, we will be relying on all of you to help us once again recreate the beautiful and safe place that our beaches are for the wildlife of Tortuguero National Park.

This quarter has once again left us in awe of the wildlife Jalova has to offer and strengthened our mission of helping Tortuguero’s beaches become a safe haven for wildlife. Our next challenge will be keeping faith and keeping our spirits high, so that when Jalova reopens we can jump head first into ensuring our piece of paradise is protected for generations to come! The Jalova field team could not have achieved so much without the help of you – our supporters – and we cannot thank you enough for your constant and consistent generosity!

With Gratitude,

Costa Rica Conservation