53% of the animals that are taken to the rescue center are infants (pigeons, cubs, newborns).
Only 8% of these cases report a deceased mother.
It is estimated that 44% of these animals would have been able to survive in their natural habitat.
The idea was to portrait and communicate this situation in a bold and direct manner to cause the strongest impact. The campaign is directed to people from all ages and socio-economic levels, so, the message had to be clear and easy to understand.
A bold black font and a white background would do the trick... but what about the animals?
This was the most amazing part of the job:
Zarigüella - Opossum (Didelphis marsupialis)
Opossums are very common and wrongfully considered pests. They are the only marsupial in the American Continent and feed on ticks, roaches and other plagues. They are often brought to the center after road crossing accidents or when humans kill their mothers.
Venado Cola Blanca - White tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)
Nambi was found by a family in a rural area, at first they took her in but later realized it would be a difficult animal to maintain and that it is illegal to have wild animals as pets. Her mother was most likely hunted. She spent too much time along humans so she has become very docile.
Tepezcuintle - Lowland Paca (Cuniculus paca)
This baby came to the center after being confiscated from poachers who had killed and skinned her mother. Authorities found both of them in a bag, and she still had her umbilical chord. Babies this young are difficult to maintain because they do not get all the antibodies they need from their mother's milk.
These two posters were selected to be printed out. Over 1000 copies were printed and distributed along the Northern Pacific region of Costa Rica according to a properly thought out distribution strategy. From schools to bus stops; from hotels to national parks… these posters made their way through the region covered by the Center.
The campaign was backed by several important collaborators: Hagnauer Foundation, MINAE (National Ministry of Environment), SINAC (National Conservation Area System), the four conservation areas of the region (Área de Conservación Arenal Tempisque, Área de Conservación Guanacaste, Área de Conservación Tempisque and Área de Conservación Huetar Norte), national entities such as the Firefighters, the Police and the Costa Rican Institute of Electricity (ICE) and several private enterprises who sponsor the Center.
Puercoespín - Porcupine (Sphiggurus mexicanus)
This cub was found wondering alone. It probably had wondered out of its burrow.
Caucel - Margay (Leopardus wiedii)
This cub was found alone in a cane field. One of her rear legs was broken so she had to spend over two months under intensive care.
Catano - Parakeet (Epistula canicularis)
Parakeets and parrots are often poached and sold in the illegal pet-trade. These pigeons were stolen from their nest. Do not support this illegal activity.
Besides print media, social media has been used to carry the message on diverse platforms run by each of the participants, reaching over 300,000 people locally.
Manigordo - Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis)
This cub and her mother were hit by a vehicle as her mom tried to cross the road. Her mother died, and the cub survived but was found next to her dead mother.
Congo - Howler Monkey (Alouatta Palliata)
This baby fell off a tree due to the Trade Winds that hit the country. Usually the monkey troop rescues their babies.
Sorococo - Screech Owl (Megascops cooperi)
These pigeons were found on the ground as they were probably learning to fly. Their parents are usually around; so returning them to their nests (avoiding direct contact) is recommended.
Armadillo - Nine banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus)
This newborn was found alone after a sugar cane fire. It had not opened its eyes.
The overall accomplishment of the campaign will be recorded throughout the next couple of months. The participation of various groups and the reach to children, local farmers, rural, urban and tourist population was a success.
On a personal level, working with these babies has been perhaps one of the most gratifying peaks of my career. Handling these animals was a challenge, since this had to be done in a non-invasive manner, causing minimum to no stress at all. Taking good photographs of a baby wild animal over a white back-pannel in the least amount of time possible was very challenging, however, the process was amazing, especially learning each and every story behind each animal and being able to spread a positive educational message.