Path of the Tapir Biological Corridor

Hunting was simply part of life in the few rural areas that still had some natural habitat. What little wildlife remained was pursued relentlessly by local hunters. Hacienda Barú was one of the few properties where hunting was prohibited and protected.

One Saturday afternoon in 1987, our dogs barked, announcing the arrival of visitors. They were four men who I knew to be avid hunters and not my friends. One assumed the role of leader and greeted me warmly.

"Don Jack," Eduardo began. "We're here to talk with you because now that the roads are improving, we're shocked to see all the outside hunters who come here and kill our wildlife. If we don't do something now, our children will never know what a paca, peccary, or great curassow looks like. These outsiders will kill them all". He indicated himself and his three friends. "We've all quit hunting and need your help to stop these newcomers. What can we do"? 

"Let's see if we can organize a meeting," I suggested. "We're going to need support from the entire community if we expect to control the hunting." A meeting was scheduled for Saturday at 2:00 pm at the Dominical school. About 20 people showed up. Everyone was concerned and wanted to do something about hunting. We created an organization called Amigos de la Naturaleza de Dominical (ANADO), and all those present promised to report anyone who was hunting.

A couple of weeks later, two ANADO members watched while a hunter, parked in Dominical by the plaza, proudly showed off his guns and some animals he had killed, including a monkey and a sloth. One of the ANADO members went home, returned with his camera, and took pictures of the man, his guns, the dead wildlife, and his car. We filed charges against him, and to our surprise, the police discovered that he was an ex-convict and was wanted for armed robbery. With the photos as proof, he went to jail for four months and had all his guns confiscated. ANADO got all the credit and a reputation for being tough on poachers. Hunters quit coming to Dominical.

Two years later, our second membership meeting was attended by people from as far away as Uvita and Matapalo who wanted to join ANADO. We accepted them with open arms and agreed to change the name to ASANA.