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ICUN red list Species on the Osa Peninsula

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Red Listed Mammals

  • VU: Giant Anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) Possibly extinct on the Osa Peninsula

  • EN: Baird’s Tapir (Tapirus bairdii)

  • EN: Geoffroy’s Spider Monkey (Ateles geoffroyi)

  • EN: Central American Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri oerstedii)

  • VU: White-lipped Peccary (Tayassu pecari)

  • VU: White-throated Capuchin (Cebus capucinus)

  • NT: Jaguar (Panthera onca) 

  • NT: Margay (Leopardus wiedii) 

  • NT: Spectral Bat (Vampyrum spectrum) 

  • NT: Neotropical Otter (Lontra longicaudis) 

  • Silky Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus) - Though classified as "Least Concern" globally, it faces regional threats from habitat loss and deforestation in the Osa Peninsula

  • Central American Red Brocket Deer (Mazama temama) is classified as "Data Deficient"

Local hunters, driven by the need to provide food for their families and generate income, hunted extensively. Jaguars, tapirs, and other now endangered species were targeted, not for sport, but out of sheer necessity. This unsustainable hunting practice drastically reduced wildlife populations and disrupted the delicate balance of the rainforest ecosystem. The accompanying photograph starkly captures this era, depicting hunters with a dead jaguar on the Osa Peninsula.

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Recognizing the urgent need to protect this unique environment, the Costa Rican government took decisive action. In 1975, Corcovado National Park was established, preserving one of the last remaining expanses of tropical primary lowland rainforest along Central America's Pacific coast. This critical move helped safeguard countless species and provided a sanctuary for wildlife, marking a significant milestone in the country's conservation history.

Vulnerable Mammals

  • Central American Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri oerstedii) 

  • Silky Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus) - Though classified as "Least Concern" globally, it faces regional threats from habitat loss and deforestation in the Osa Peninsula

  • White-lipped Peccary (Tayassu pecari)

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  • Jaguar (Panthera onca)

  • Baird’s Tapir (Tapirus bairdii)

  • Geoffroy’s Spider Monkey (Ateles geoffroyi)

  • Central American Woolly Opossum (Caluromys derbianus)

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  • Central American Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri oerstedii) 

  • Silky Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus) - Though classified as "Least Concern" globally, it faces regional threats from habitat loss and deforestation in the Osa Peninsula

  • White-lipped Peccary (Tayassu pecari)

  • Central American Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri oerstedii) 

  • Silky Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus) - Though classified as "Least Concern" globally, it faces regional threats from habitat loss and deforestation in the Osa Peninsula

  • White-lipped Peccary (Tayassu pecari)

  • Central American Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri oerstedii) 

  • Silky Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus) - Though classified as "Least Concern" globally, it faces regional threats from habitat loss and deforestation in the Osa Peninsula

  • White-lipped Peccary (Tayassu pecari)

  • Central American Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri oerstedii) 

  • Silky Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus) - Though classified as "Least Concern" globally, it faces regional threats from habitat loss and deforestation in the Osa Peninsula

  • White-lipped Peccary (Tayassu pecari)

  • Central American Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri oerstedii) 

  • Silky Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus) - Though classified as "Least Concern" globally, it faces regional threats from habitat loss and deforestation in the Osa Peninsula

  • White-lipped Peccary (Tayassu pecari)

  • Central American Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri oerstedii) 

  • Silky Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus) - Though classified as "Least Concern" globally, it faces regional threats from habitat loss and deforestation in the Osa Peninsula

  • White-lipped Peccary (Tayassu pecari)

  • Central American Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri oerstedii) 

  • Silky Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus) - Though classified as "Least Concern" globally, it faces regional threats from habitat loss and deforestation in the Osa Peninsula

  • White-lipped Peccary (Tayassu pecari)

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Red Listed Reptiles

  • CR: Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)

  • CR: Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)

  • EN: Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)

  • VU: American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus)

  • VU: Olive Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)

Threatened reptiles play a crucial role in ecosystems, and their decline can have significant ripple effects. As both predators and prey, reptiles help regulate the populations of various species, maintaining balance within the food web. For instance, snakes control rodent populations, preventing overgrazing. Lizards contribute to pest control by feeding on insects. The loss of these reptiles can lead to the unchecked growth of certain species, disrupting plant communities and leading to habitat degradation. Protecting reptile species is essential for preserving the health and stability of ecosystems.

Preserving the coastal rainforest land on the Osa Peninsula is vital for the survival of sea turtles. These rainforests provide critical nesting habitats for several sea turtle species, including the critically endangered Hawksbill and the vulnerable Green turtle. The dense vegetation offers protection for hatchlings from predators and environmental extremes. Additionally, the rainforest ecosystems contribute to maintaining the health of the adjacent marine environments through nutrient cycling and erosion control. Protecting these coastal rainforests ensures that sea turtles have safe nesting sites, promoting their continued survival and the health of the marine ecosystem.

Critically Endangered Mammals

  • Jaguar (Panthera onca)

  • Baird’s Tapir (Tapirus bairdii)

  • Geoffroy’s Spider Monkey (Ateles geoffroyi)

  • Central American Woolly Opossum (Caluromys derbianus)

Red Listed Birds

  • EN: Mangrove Hummingbird (Amazilia boucardi)

  • VU: Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja)

  • VU: Great Curassow (Crax rubra)

  • VU: Three-wattled Bellbird (Procnias tricarunculatus)

  • Turquoise Cotinga (Cotinga ridgwayi)

  • NT: Yellow-billed Cotinga (Carpodectes antoniae)

  • NT: Black-cheeked Ant-tanager (Habia atrimaxillaris)

  • NT: Baird’s Trogon (Trogon bairdii)

  • NT: Olive-sided Flycatcher (PIF Watch List) (Contopus cooperi)

  • Wood Thrush (PIF Watch List) (Hylocichla mustelina)

  • NT: Golden-winged Warbler (PIF Watch list) (Vermivora chrysoptera)

Protecting the Osa rainforest is crucial for the survival of various bird species that depend on this unique habitat. The rainforest provides essential nesting, feeding, and breeding grounds for these birds, many of which are endangered or vulnerable. This includes species with specialized habitat requirements, such as those needing dense forest cover or specific food sources found only in the rainforest. Preserving this ecosystem helps maintain ecological balance and ensures that these birds can continue to thrive, supporting the overall biodiversity and health of the region.

Vulnerable Mammals

  • Central American Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri oerstedii) 

  • Silky Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus) - Though classified as "Least Concern" globally, it faces regional threats from habitat loss and deforestation in the Osa Peninsula

  • White-lipped Peccary (Tayassu pecari)

Vulnerable Mammals

  • Central American Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri oerstedii) 

  • Silky Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus) - Though classified as "Least Concern" globally, it faces regional threats from habitat loss and deforestation in the Osa Peninsula

  • White-lipped Peccary (Tayassu pecari)

Vulnerable Mammals

  • Central American Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri oerstedii) 

  • Silky Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus) - Though classified as "Least Concern" globally, it faces regional threats from habitat loss and deforestation in the Osa Peninsula

  • White-lipped Peccary (Tayassu pecari)

Vulnerable Mammals

  • Central American Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri oerstedii) 

  • Silky Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus) - Though classified as "Least Concern" globally, it faces regional threats from habitat loss and deforestation in the Osa Peninsula

  • White-lipped Peccary (Tayassu pecari)

Plants

When you hear of a species in danger of extinction an image of a charismatic mammal like a tapir or a jaguar usually comes to mind, not a tree. Yet one of the biggest most impressive trees in the word has been listed as vulnerable on the IUCN red list since 1998 and is now on the Critically endangered list, Caryocar costarricense.

Red Listed Trees

  • CR: Sangrillo colorado (Paramachaerium gruberi)

  • CR: Pleodendron costaricense

  • EN: Ajo (Caryocar costaricense)

  • EN: Ajo Negro (Anthodiscus chocoensis)

  • EN: (Magnolia wetteri) Enedmic to the Osa

  • EN: Pouteria triplarifolia

  • EN: Anthodiscus chocoensis

  • EN: Cativo (Prioria peninsulae)

  • EN: Guarea aguilarii

  • EN: Inga golfodulcensis

  • EN: Copo Hediondo (Couratari scottmorii)

  • EN: Camíbar (Copaifera camibar)

  • EN: Melón (Williamodendron glaucophyllum)

  • VU: Pouteria filiformis

  • VU: Parathesis acostensis

  • VU: Aiouea obscura

  • VU: Anonillo (Klarobelia stipitata)

  • NT: Desmopsis heteropetala

  • NT: Oreomunnea pterocarpa

  • NT: ​Astrocaryum alatum (palm)

  • NT: Amphitecna isthmica

  • NT: Caryodaphnopsis burgeri

  • NT: Alseis costaricensis

  • NT: Bloodwood (Pterocarpus officinalis) Sangrillo

  • NT: Pentagonia lobata

The tree species found on the Osa Peninsula, such as the critically endangered are incredibly rare due to their specific habitat requirements and the extensive deforestation that has occurred in the region. Many of these species are highly sensitive to environmental changes and have very low reproductive rates, making them difficult to grow and propagate by humans. Protecting these species is crucial not only for preserving biodiversity but also for maintaining the ecological balance of the rainforest.  Hardwood trees can resist the harshly wet rainforest environment and heavy weight of vines that build up on trees in the jungle. These trees provide essential habitat and resources for countless other species, including many that are also endangered like the spider monkey. 

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