Slow but Determined Effort to End Illegal Mining and Commercial Hunting in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica

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Corcovado National Park, Osa Peninsula - only coastal tropical forest national park in Central America - Emerald of Costa Rica

Global Conservation is funding a determined effort to help end illegal gold mining and commercial hunting in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica. Illegal mining and commercial hunting in the national park is threatening both nature protection and tourism potential. 

The jaguar is not only a national symbol, but the apex predator and a critically endangered species in Osa Peninsula, the Emerald of Costa Rica. Today, there are less than thirty (30) jaguars left in Corcovado National Park due to hunting and lack of prey

Global Conservation is providing funding to improve park and wildlife protection systems beginning with Global Park Defense systems and training, combined with intelligence-based patrolling and enforcement. 

Global Conservation funds Environmental Inspectors -  COVIRENAS - who are navigating the rivers and forests and documenting illegal activites, as well as supporting SINAC Ranger patrol operations. As well, Cellular Trailcams report 24/7 on illegal entries by trail, road and river.

Map: National Geographic.

Recent Inspections are leading to more arrests and new levels of coordinated  law enforcement based on intelligence and surveillance.The Environmental Inspectors (COVIRENAS) are trusted local people for this type of environmental intelligence tasks.

COVIRENAS inspectors signaled a number of violations in the national park and now government  law enforcement including SINAC Rangers and Border Police are executing regular clandestine sweeps of the national park arresting illegal gold miners and commercial hunters. 

Four illegal miners were surprised in the middle of their work, one of whom was on an Arrest Warrant for aggravated robbery from the 1st Court Judicial Circuit.  According to police reports, the men were mining and had in their possession mining tools used for the illegal extraction of gold, and will be remitted to the Office of the Prosecutor to deal with charges related to the Mining Code, the Biodiversity Law and the National Parks Law.

Illegal gold miners destroying pristine river beds deep in the national park.

Corcovado is not a large wilderness park, and can be traverse in a day, so rapid response to illegal mining, logging and wildlife poaching is desperately needed.  Illegals can enter the park and leave from many trails and access points, by boat and foot.  Professional hunters are using $9,000 hunting dogs to chase down and kill jaguar, deer, wild pig and other vanishing species. Turtles and their eggs are also a valuable commodity.

On the Osa Peninsula, Global Conservation invests in surveillance and protection for Corcovado National Park – the Emerald of Costa Rica -  supporting technology, systems, operations and training for Environmental Inspectors (COVIRENAS) who are helping MINAE / SINAC Park Rangers detect and arrest illegal miners, loggers and wildlife poachers.

Turtle poaching of eggs is a major business still in Corcovado National Park, requiring vigilance and patrolling.

Skilled hunting dogs seized in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.

Local and national syndicates mine gold and hunt wildlife like the Paca and deer for commercial sale from deep in the core areas of the national park’s wildlife habitats.

On many fronts, Costa Rica is considered a green model country, but in the far south Osa Peninsula, hunting and illegal mining still continue despite solid laws on the books for Mining Code, the Biodiversity Law and the National Parks Law.  Enforcement to protect parks with endangered species is now needed.

With less than 30 jaguars remaining in Corcovado National Park, and only a few more spread across the Osa Peninsula in private lands, combined with the jaguar's slow population growth, gives great urgency to our mission there.

Corcovado National Park is the last major intact tropical coastal rainforest national park in Central America, and should be UNESCO World Heritage for both its spectacular and unique intact tropical forests, rich biodiversity (2.5% of Planet Earth), and spectacular marine sanctuary proposed for ‘No Take’ and regulated fishing areas.

Corcovado’s coastline is highly targeted by cocaine traffickers landing fast boats on the beach, endangering the lives of local peoples, and increasing cocaine use and sales over the past 10 years in Osa’s local communities.

Corcovado National Park has well-documented threats facing their last jaguars and scientific research over 20 years showing continual decimation of their prey - The Paca - popular gamemeat for restaurants and families around the park and in the cities and towns.

Gold mining is destroying pristine river beds and illegal loggers are taking out the last hardwoods – the best trees - deep inside the national park.

Global Park Defense in Action

Global Conservation was invited by the government and Osa Conservancy to assist with Global Park Defense systems, technology and training to improve Park Ranger patrolling, surveillance and intelligence to counter illegal mining, illegal logging, and commercial level hunting and wildlife poaching destroying the jaguar population – now down to less than 30 individuals – and its prey.

In April, MINAE park rangers carried out a joint operation with the border police, detaining a number of people linked to the extraction of gold and hunting.

Global Conservation is partnering with Osa Conservation, a hard-working and scientific conservation group in Osa, along with MINAE / SINAC park authorities and ranger teams, to stamp out illegal gold miners, loggers and wildlife poachers hunting in Corcovado National Park.

SINAC Corcovado Rangers, supported by Federal Border Police, arrested many illegal gold miners over the past year.  Most recently, four illegal miners were arrested in Pelusa Tunnels, in the Puntarenas sector who had destroyed over 200 meters of riverbeds and were caught in the act with tools in the mud.

Over the past two years, Global Conservation has funded Global Park Defense systems, equipment and training using technology and a new methodology to improve effectiveness of ranger patrols and government sweeps against illegal gold miners, illegal loggers, hunters and commercial wildlife poachers.

To eliminate illegal gold mining and wildlife poaching in Corcovado National Park, Global Conservation is supporting Osa Conservation in their work to assist SINAC/MINAE park authorities in park protection including:

• Threat Assessment - using expert analysis and reporting

• Aerial Surveillance - using UAV Drones and light aircraft

• Ground Surveillance – River Inspection teams to locate and geo-reference illegal gold mining activities within the park

• Cellular Trailcams – Camera monitoring of roads, trails and rivers

• Identification of Violators -  establishing a enforcement database of who are doing illegal mining and wildlife poaching within the park

• Detailed Mapping - of locations of illegal activities within the park for targeting joint police and park ranger patrols

Corcovado National Park is among the top 10 best National Parks in the World today according to Discovery Corporation, this is thanks to its biodiversity; Corcovado is home to 2.5% of the biodiversity of the planet.

However, it has suffered the intrusion of hunters and gold miners for decades. But the situation is changing.  In 2018, over 30 people were arrested and detained in Corcovado in relation to these types of illegal activities that go against the Mining Code, Forest Law and Law of Wildlife Conservation.

Corcovado encompasses 42,750 land hectares and 5,372 marine hectares, it includes a wide variety of wildlife in its diverse ecosystems. There is a new proposed marine sanctuary or Marine Protected Area (MPA) proposed to make Costa Rica’s largest Pacific MPA.

A government press release highlighted:

“It is important to show that these results in 2018 are part of inter-institutional coordinated operations by SINAC, Osa Conservation and partners that have been ongoing since 2017 undertaking surveillance and monitoring work with the purpose of detecting illegal activities in the areas that are usually invaded by gold panners and illegal poachers,” states the press release.

It is estimated that over 50 gold panners enter the Corcovado National Park on a daily basis; with over 400 working throughout the year.

Gold miners arrested by Corcovado National Park Rangers and Federal Border Police joint operations supported by Global Consersation and Osa Conservancy.

Major operations are being carried out by Rangers, Police and Border Patrols based on surveillance and community information identifying illegals based on reports received about the presence of people extracting gold in a prohibited area.

The four individuals were surprised when they were apprehended in one of the side tributary rivers near the Pelusa Tunnels, in the Puntarenas sector. They were caught with tools used to dig in the slopes, as well as pails made to wash earth, as well as other utensils.

The environmental damage was evident on the site, as there were many excavations along the edge of the stream. Police also found in a cave close by where gold prospectors hid a bag with pieces of gold that had a weight four grams.

The detainees were identified as surnames Estrada, Gamboa, Sánchez and Segura. The latter was wanted by the judicial authorities as a suspect in the crime of aggravated robbery, according to a decision of the Pérez Zeledón Tribunal. All were placed under the orders of the Prosecutor's Office to initiate a judicial process for infractions to the Mining Code, the Biodiversity Law and the National Parks Law.

Seizure of equipment included water pumps, power plant, jack hammers and other accessories used to take the gold. As well, illegal drugs used to work long hours were seized. According to investigations carried out by the park rangers' operative group, the band had been carrying out illicit activities such as the smuggling of gold for two years and they had carried out clandestine activities such as liquor consumption anxd prostitution in a clandestine bar located inside Corcovado Park near their tunnels.

`Our support is enabling Costa Rica to deploy advanced Global Park Defense systems – GIS-based Environmental Inspectors to double the patrol coverage of Corcovado Rangers and identify illegal activities for intelligent patrolling based on real-time surveillance (Cellular Trailcams) and constant vigilance patrols without weapons by Environmental Inspectors. We are still have lots of work ahead to achieve “No Cut, No Kill” protection.

Since February 2017, the Constitutional Court had forced the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Environment and Energy (Minae) to draw up a plan to definitively eradicate people who cause environmental damage in Corcovado. The operation of the Border Police had the purpose of looking for possible invaders.