Much of the area was deforested for cattle ranching between 1940 and 1985. Since that time a great deal of habitat has been restored, mostly by natural regeneration. We hope to restore enough natural habitat to the area so that Baird's Tapirs (Tapirus bairdii) will once again roam freely within the corridor.
The Path of the Tapir Biological Corridor project was begun in the year 1990. The primary promoter of the project was and still is the Asociación de Amigos de la Naturaleza del Pacifico Central y Sur. We have carried out environmental education in the schools, have encouraged land owners to allow forest to regenerate naturally in the areas of their properties where they don't have any development (especially along rivers and streams), and have pressured the government to enforce the laws that regulate construction and development. The project has seen a great deal of success. Many species of wildlife have returned to areas where they haven't been seen for years. These include three species of monkeys, pumas, scarlet macaws, and there have been sporadic reports of tapirs and jaguars.
