Local-scale approach to conservation in Costa Rica with Andrés Vega (Podcast Episode 4)

Andrés Vega is a native Costa Rican who has devoted his life to conservation, education, and research in Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica. In this episode, I speak with Andrés about how he got interested in conservation and his new approach to preserving wildlife. Andrés recounts his first morning in Corcovado, in which he got to see, and get chased by, some of the most charismatic large animals that live there.  We talk about the geological and biological features that make Corcovado park a hotspot of biodiversity and endemism, the history of the park, and the conservation issues facing it. Along the way, Andrés relates fascinating tales of real or apparent “logs!” We then discuss Andrés’s new grassroots campaign that encourages villagers to protect wildlife instead of poach.  Andrés provides an example of how local-level activism can promote conservation more effectively than national government. With your help, Andrés hopes to build shelters for local patrols, buy satellite collars to track and protect white-lipped peccaries, and educate local communities on how to effectively monitor and prevent poaching.  Ultimately, Andrés hopes to rescue the animals and preserve the habitat that left him in awe, or chased him, on that first morning!