I met Janine Licare in 2009 while preparing my second book about Costa Rica’wildlife. Janine, the prodigy! At nine years old, she started protecting nature after seeing the forests shrink and her playgrounds disappear in the Quepos region on the Pacific coast, replaced by more and more buildings and roads. When she told her mother, Jennifer, that something needed to be done, her mother replied, “If you show me that you are really ready to invest yourself, I will help you.” The young protector immediately began selling her toys and trinkets she made to raise funds. Thus, in 1999, the Kids Saving the Rainforest association was born.
Since then, Janine has tirelessly worked to defend biodiversity, especially the endangered squirrel monkeys (saimiri). Children from all over the world are invited to join the association and participate in its numerous programs: protecting natural areas, reforestation, and education. Once again, the emphasis is on information. First, raising awareness among Costa Ricans, particularly about the dramatic consequences of removing squirrel monkeys from the forest. For some, having these pretty animals at home is tempting, but it leads to a short and grim life for the monkeys. Also, educating tourists, who visit the nearby Manuel Antonio Park in large numbers and often make the mistake of feeding the wildlife, not realizing they are leading them to disaster through an unsuitable diet and creating dependency.
Under the guidance of veterinarian Dr. Maria Pia Martin, Kids Saving the Rainforest also manages a refuge that takes in all kinds of orphaned and injured wildlife, cares for them, and rehabilitates them before releasing those capable of returning to freedom. Returning squirrel monkeys to the wild is among the most challenging tasks because these bright primates are social and territorial. An individual rescued too young cannot fend for itself or join a troop.
A second refuge, open to the public, provides an excellent opportunity to spread the message and share the importance of conservation.
