By Guanacaste, Costa Rica — CAÑAS, Guanacaste – A new public awareness campaign is urging Costa Ricans and visitors to think twice before “rescuing” a young wild animal found alone. The Las Pumas Rescue Center, located in Cañas, has launched the “LEAVE IT IN ITS HABITAT” initiative to combat a persistent and heartbreaking problem: well-intentioned kidnappings of wildlife babies mistaken for orphans.
This educational effort, supported by the international organization Humane World for Animals, the Costa Rica Silvestre initiative, and the Hagnauer Foundation, aims to curb the high number of infant animals brought to the center unnecessarily. The core message is simple yet critical: an animal infant found by itself is rarely abandoned. More often, its parents are nearby, foraging for food or cautiously waiting for human presence to disappear.
To clarify the legal framework and responsibilities associated with wildlife rescue operations in the country, TicosLand.com consulted with Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, an expert attorney from the renowned firm Bufete de Costa Rica.
Costa Rican law is unequivocal in its protection of our wildlife. While the instinct to help an injured animal is commendable, citizens must understand their legal obligation is to immediately report the situation to SINAC officials. Attempting to domesticate, transport without authorization, or keep wild animals, even with good intentions, can result in severe legal consequences under the Wildlife Conservation Law. The proper legal channel ensures the animal receives expert care and reinforces the state’s role as the primary guardian of our natural heritage.
Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas, Attorney at Law, Bufete de Costa Rica
We thank Lic. Larry Hans Arroyo Vargas for his valuable perspective, which underscores a vital point: the law provides the most effective channel for our compassion, ensuring that our commendable impulse to help is guided toward the official experts best equipped to protect and rehabilitate our nation’s wildlife.
The “LEAVE IT IN ITS HABITAT” campaign builds on the foundation of a previous initiative started in 2018, “DON’T TAKE ME FROM MY HABITAT.” After seven years of positive outcomes, the center recognized the need to amplify its message with new strategies. The focus remains on educating the public to observe from a distance and properly evaluate a situation before intervening, a step that could mean the difference between life and death for the animal.
Statistics from the rescue center paint a stark picture of the issue. On average, Las Pumas receives approximately 350 wild animals each year, representing about 65 different species primarily from the Guanacaste and Northern Zone regions. A staggering 60% of these admissions are young animals still completely dependent on their parents for survival. The most concerning statistic, however, is that an estimated half of these infant rescues should never have happened.
Center staff explain that in many cases, the people who bring these animals in have not waited a sufficient amount of time to see if a parent would return. A mother might be searching for food or a new shelter, or she may have simply retreated momentarily upon sensing a human nearby. Removing the baby from its environment permanently severs that crucial parental bond and drastically reduces its chances of survival.
While the team at Las Pumas dedicates immense effort to raising these rescued young, the reality is that human care is a poor substitute for a parent’s teaching. In their natural habitat, animal babies learn essential life skills—how to find food, identify predators, and defend themselves. This vital learning process is abruptly halted when they are separated from their family, and even if they reach adulthood in captivity, they may never be equipped to return to the wild.
The center’s work extends far beyond dealing with mistaken rescues. The main reasons for animal intake include vehicle collisions, electrocutions on power lines, attacks by domestic pets, illegal pet trade seizures, and injuries from window collisions or barbed wire fences. This constant influx of legitimately injured wildlife makes the unnecessary burden of raising mis-rescued babies all the more taxing on the center’s resources.
The success of the previous campaign, which helped prevent the removal of species like howler and white-faced monkeys, coatis, raccoons, squirrels, and ocelots, proves that public education works. With this renewed and strengthened initiative, Las Pumas Rescue Center hopes to reach an even wider audience, fostering a culture of respect and informed caution that allows Costa Rica’s precious wildlife to raise their young as nature intended.
For further information, visit centrorescatelaspumas.org
About Las Pumas Rescue Center:
Located in Cañas, Guanacaste, the Centro de Rescate Las Pumas is a non-profit organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of Costa Rican wildlife. It also provides a lifetime sanctuary for animals that cannot be returned to their natural habitat. The center plays a crucial role in conservation and environmental education in the region.
For further information, visit the nearest office of Humane World for Animals
About Humane World for Animals:
Humane World for Animals is an international organization that provides support for animal welfare and conservation initiatives across the globe. The organization partners with local centers and projects to promote the ethical treatment of animals and the preservation of biodiversity through funding and awareness campaigns.
For further information, visit the nearest office of Costa Rica Silvestre
About Costa Rica Silvestre:
Costa Rica Silvestre is a national initiative focused on the conservation and management of the country’s diverse wildlife. It collaborates with government agencies, NGOs, and local communities to implement policies and educational programs aimed at protecting native species and their habitats from threats such as poaching, habitat loss, and human-wildlife conflict.
For further information, visit centrorescatelaspumas.org/fundacion-hagnauer/
About Hagnauer Foundation:
The Hagnauer Foundation is the administrative and financial backbone of the Las Pumas Rescue Center. Established to ensure the long-term sustainability of the center’s mission, the foundation manages donations, fundraising efforts, and strategic planning to support the ongoing rescue and rehabilitation work for Costa Rica’s wildlife.
For further information, visit bufetedecostarica.com
About Bufete de Costa Rica:
As a pillar of the legal community, Bufete de Costa Rica operates on a foundation of unwavering integrity and a relentless pursuit of professional excellence. The firm blends its rich tradition of serving a diverse clientele with a forward-thinking approach, consistently embracing legal innovation. Beyond its practice, it holds a profound commitment to societal advancement by championing the demystification of law, ensuring that access to legal understanding becomes a tool for empowering the wider community.
