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A Sanctuary in the Heart of Costa Rican Rainforest: Saving La Ceiba

By Vanessa Chakour

Costa Rica is often marketed as an ecotourism haven, but the reality is much more complex.
 

Earthly Bodies, by Vanessa Chakour

Vanessa Chakour is the author of Earthly Bodies: Embracing Animal Nature (Penguin Publishing Group, 2024). In the book, Chakour draws parallels from struggles she has weathered in her own life to those endured by 23 wild animals—from wolves to sea lions—exploring our unease of feeling like prey; challenging the entrapment of our limiting beliefs; contextualizing the turmoil of fractured landscapes; and affirming our primal ache to belong.

In this guest editorial, Chakour shares her experience with Encar Vila, founder of the Jaguar Rescue Center in Costa Rica, and how readers can help.

“Visiting La Ceiba is like stepping back in time,” Encar Vila, founder of the Jaguar Rescue Center (JRC), tells me. “It’s the womb of Mother Earth where everything starts; an irreplaceable ecosystem we cannot lose.” A sliver of the vast Mesoamerican Biological Corridor which contains an incredible 7 percent of the world’s biodiversity, the privately owned La Ceiba Natural Reserve is primary forest, untouched by humans for millennia. The 50-hectare reserve provides a haven for critically endangered mammals like the spider monkey and endangered plants like the mountain almond tree, a tree that is essential to the iconic green macaw who is also at risk. While the JRC has acquired 15 of La Ceiba’s 50 hectares currently for sale, they are desperate to buy and protect more. Even as part of a national refuge, La Ceiba lacks the same level of protection as national parks in Costa Rica, and the JRC is working hard to save wild animals’ homes.

“Our vision is to see La Ceiba fully protected,” Encar says. “We need to acquire more land, improve conservation efforts, and raise awareness about the importance of this area.”

The 15 hectares stewarded by the JRC serve as a soft release site for animals ready to rewild: “It is where they remember who they are and where they belong,” Encar says. After being rehabilitated from their injuries, or when orphans grow to an age of independence, the JRC transports rescues from the center to the La Ceiba Release Station to acclimate to the forest ecosystem. “Witnessing the transformation of these animals from vulnerable creatures to thriving members of the wild is incredibly rewarding,” she says. After release, JRC staff monitor their transition using remote cameras, ensuring their ability to find food and to thrive.

Costa Rica is often marketed as an ecotourism haven, but the reality is much more complex. While responsible tourism can support conservation efforts, unregulated development and the influx of tourists can have negative consequences. “Years ago, the tourists were different,” Encar recalls. “They were more focused on nature and spent money on tours and visiting national parks. Now, too many tourists come for parties and beaches, and don’t spend as much; they’re not as respectful of the environment.” There are more and more cars, and despite “Sloth Crossing” signs, people drive too fast. Encar’s work is getting harder. She rescues animals every day now. And yet the center (at least for now) relies mostly on tourists who come to daily public tours of the sanctuary to keep their work going. Dedicated to rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing injured, orphaned, and displaced wildlife, the JRC has rescued thousands of animals over the years.

When I first traveled to Puerto Viejo de Limon, Costa Rica in 2008, it was a quiet place with gravel roads and constant forest. Like many people, I was drawn by the biodiversity and would later return to study plant medicine and collaborate with local teachers, including those at the JRC, on rewilding retreats. Despite being a skittish bike rider, I felt safe cycling everywhere. The area was rustic, with no phone signal or easy Wi-Fi. It felt like a special nook, unmolested by human development. I didn’t know that 2008 was also the year that Encar founded the Jaguar Rescue Center with her late partner, Sandro.

Trained as a primatologist in Barcelona, Encar arrived in Costa Rica to study howler monkeys and fell deeply in love with the land, the howlers, and eventually with Sandro. “A lot of rehabbers forget that love is everything when it comes to healing their trauma,” she told me. “Monkeys need to feel a sense of safety. They need living, breathing, loving contact. Physical contact is the key between survival and death.”

Monkey in La Ceiba
Photo by Enrique Rosado.

Encar’s days are filled with the cries of howler monkeys, sloths, kinkajous, anteaters, and countless other creatures. From dawn to dusk, she cares for animals, manages rescue operations, meets with volunteers, donors, and government officials. In addition to her work with wildlife, Encar is also involved in community outreach programs and educational initiatives, and she is working tirelessly to protect La Ceiba Natural Reserve from development. “The preventative medicine is to preserve primary forests; to save animals’ homes,” she says.

Increasing pressure from a growing human population has been most significant in recent years following the pandemic as people seek bucolic landscapes away from the stress of city life. Airbnbs, new vacation homes, and beautiful escape-dwellings in the jungle are displacing sloths, howler monkeys, and countless other creatures who already live there. This development has not only harmed the environment but also impacted the local community. The influx of tourists has led to an increase in illegal construction, deforestation, and more air, light, and noise pollution. “There is so much noise pollution, the sloths can’t hear their babies call when they fall from their arms or from the trees. I never imagined this,” Encar laments.

One of her rescue tactics is to play a recorded call of the baby before taking them to the center. Often, if played loud enough, the mother will come down to retrieve her child. “It’s heartbreaking that they can hardly hear them in many places now.” This human pressure and loss of habitat is leading to a surge in animal rescues: last year, the JRC rescued a staggering 1,001 animals, and the influx of rescues shows no signs of slowing down.

Despite the challenges faced by the Jaguar Rescue Center and La Ceiba Natural Reserve, Encar remains hopeful about the future. “I believe that with continued dedication, community support, and international awareness, we can protect La Ceiba and other primary forests, ensuring the survival of these incredible animals,” she says. “Every individual can make a difference, whether it’s through donations, volunteering, or simply spreading the word about the importance of conservation.”

Encar’s work at the Jaguar Rescue Center is not just about protecting animals; it’s about inspiring others to connect with nature and to fall in love with the wild: “It is about the interconnectedness of all life and the importance of supporting the health of our planet, and all her inhabitants, for future generations.”

Learn more and donate to support La Ceiba Natural Reserve.

 

   

Encar Vila and Vanessa ChakourVanessa Chakour is an author, naturalist, and former professional boxer who fosters connection between inner and outer wilds through writing, herbalism, martial arts, and land stewardship. With over a decade of experience, she has facilitated courses and retreats in partnership with wildlife organizations like the Wolf Conservation Center and the Jaguar Rescue Center, and is a Project Coyote ambassador. Vanessa is the author of Awakening Artemis, a memoir told through the lens of 24 medicinal plants, and Earthly Bodies: Embracing Animal Nature, which delves into the parallels between human struggles and the experiences of wild neighbors, offering insights on self-discovery and coexistence. She lives in Massachusetts where she coaches boxing, stewards a forest sanctuary, and is part of United Plant Savers’ Botanical Sanctuary Network.

Header photo by Enrique Rosado. Photo of Encar Vila (left) and Vanessa Chakour (right) by Enrique Rosado.