If you said no, you are not alone. Most people have never heard of this strange animal. Tapirs are the largest land mammals in Central and South America. An adult Baird's tapir can weigh up to 650 pounds! Their closest living relavives are horses and Rhinosores . Currently all 4 (maybe 5)tapir species around the world are currently on the IUCN's endangered species list. One of the biggest threats that tapir face today is that they lack an identity with the general population of humans. Humans are the primary reason why tapirs have found themselves on the endangered species list and if things continue in go in the direction they are currently heading, tapir could go extinct and the majority of humans will never even know they even existed.

Rafiki wants to change the direction that tapirs are heading. We want to see if it is possible to re- introduce capitve Baird's tapir back into the wild. Even though there are hardly any tapir left in the wild, today in North America it is not reccomended to breed captive Baird's tapirs in zoos because they are overpopulated! At some point if we hope to keep the species around in their native habitats, we are going to have figure out a way to get them back into the wild.

When the Boshoff family first discovered Rafiki, they came across a very unique situation. The land marks the beginning of intact tropical forest. property is prime habitat for tapir and the precise geographical location makes it the connection of two very important biological corridors in the country. Costa Rica has made great strides in conservation through the past 20 years, and we would like help the country fulfill its pledge.

We entered the Savegre Valley at the end of the logging area. Conservation now rules the valley, but the new ideals of the country have come at a heavy price for local residents. Rafiki Safari Lodge has revolutionizeed the job market since we started our hotel, and we are currently the biggest stable employer in the town of Santo Domingo. We believe that our tapir project can fortify the conservation movement in the Savegre Valley by creating a balance with nature through conservation and enonomic opportunity for the local population.

The Boshoff family came from South Africa. Large mammal re introductions and translocations are common place there. In fact South Africa has led the world in understanding how to manage wild animal populations on private land. One of the most successful animal re-introductions was done by Dr. Ian Player with the white rhinocores. When "Project Rhino" began in the early 1960's, there were less than 200 wild southern white Rhino left. To date the project has successfully reintroduced over 17,000 animals. Since tapir and the white rhino are some of the closest living relatives, we strongly believe that they can be given a second chance in the wild.

Much of the success that South Africa has had is due to eco tourism. The dollars that tourists spend visiting wild life parks and going on safaris have paid the way for the conservation efforts. There is a huge economic drive keeping the movement alive. In Central America eco tourism is also steadily growing. The conservation model that dominates here however is more centralized around the government. Strict laws are keeping loggers and hunters at bay, but little economic incentive cripples the health and recovery of the forest becaudse local people still depend on the forests as a means to make a living. Our tapir project will mimick the model that has been shown to be successful in Africa.

We want to engage the visitors to Rafiki with tapir. As in Africa, our lodge sits in the middle of the proposed enclosure. This will give guests the unique oppotunity to see the tapirs in their native habitat. At the same time, Rafiki will be able to give out more local jobs to run the project alleving the pressure on the forests in the valley. And last but not least, reseerchers will be able to study the animals so that we get a better idea of how to get them back into the wild.

Rafiki has been working on creating a suitable 65 acre tapir habitat for the past 15 years. With the help of tapir experts, we have incorporated lakes, streams, tertiary, secondary, and primary growth forests into our study area. Rafiki has identified over 90 species of plants living on the property that tapir eat in the wild.

To complete our preparation, Rafiki has made some strong alliances. We are proud to be members of the Tapir Specialist Group (TSG). The organization was appointed by the IUCN as the entity responsible for the survival of the species. The TSG is composed of tapir lovers from around the globe. The TSG comes together every 3 years and discusses the welfare of the tapir. Action plans for captive and wild tapir are drawn up, experts from every relevant scientific field are consulted, and everything possible is done to meet the needs that tapirs have to continue to be an important mammal on the planet.

Our other alliance is ASANA. This local non-profit organization is in charge of the welfare of a biological corridor known as "Paso de la Danta" (The Pathway of the Tapir). The organization was founded to maintain connectivity between the forests of the Osa Peninsula and the the Savegre Watershed. Most of the corridor is privately owned, making the protection difficult as each land owner has a different set of values for their properties. From agriculutre to real estate developement to major infrastructural project, ASANA has become the voice of the plants and animals that share the habitat with the recent human neighbors. Here is a short video about ASANA.

 

So it is all set then. Let's do it!

Rafiki's project has fought many battles through the years. We started as one family with a dream and now represent about 20 local families or 100 people in the local villages. We have fought floods, a major damming project, a world recession, and lots and lots of red tape to get where we are today. 2015 shows a really bright horizon. After attending the Tapir Symposium in 2014, we have made some final contacts to finally get the project off of the ground. We have also recently finally gained the ability to collect tax deductiable (501c3) donations through ASANA and Global Giving. First on the task list this year is to get an estimate for the current model of the project. A specialist has been contacted and we hope to have a firm number in hand to start a fundraising campaign to build the fence. Through ASANA we will also be working on attaining the proper permits for the scientific investigation. Hopefully we will start getting fence posts up by mid 2015! Stay tuned....

This page will grow this year as new things start to happen! If you would like more information about our project, please write to us at rafikisafari@gmail.com. If you would like to donate to our project please visit globalgiving.org. We appreciate you, and the tapirs will thank you even more!

Please contact us if you have any questions at ++506 8368 9944
or email us at rafikisafari@gmail.com