Worksheet (Week 13) SVIP

Janine Licare and Aislin Livingstone were just nine years old in 1999 when they saw the rainforests disappearing from their beloved home in Costa Rica, due to the development of roads and buildings in the area. They witnessed the negative impacts of this on the animals, particularly the Mono Titi, or squirrel monkeys. The main cause of death for these monkeys was electrocution from electrical cables or being hit by cars while crossing these new roads. This put the species in danger and inspired the girls to establish Kids Saving the Rainforest (KSTR), a non-profit organization to save the local rainforests and endangered wildlife. Licare and her friend set about raising money – first just selling handmade bracelets and papier mâché bottles by the side of the road – and turning it over to her mom, Jennifer Rice, to buy four acres of precious woods.

Today, Kids Saving the Rainforest is a large wildlife rescue center that sits on 82 acres just outside Manuel Antonio. The organization has rescued about 3,000 animals and released two-thirds of them back into the wild. One of its objectives has been to create “monkey bridges” throughout the area. These are thick ropes that help the monkey cross areas where there are now roads or electrical and phone cables, or where there aren't enough trees for the monkeys to pass through. There are currently 130 such bridges, which, in combination with other measures, have saved the lives of many monkeys.