After witnessing a pack of howler monkeys being run over by a bus on March 31 in front of El Retoño bar in the La Granja neighborhood in Nicoya, Milagro Barboza, who lives in Curime, decided to buy materials to build a bridge in the affected area.
Barboza was helped by Cuban Osdani Alvarez, a neighbor who also witnessed the accident.
The materials to make this first bridge )cost about 30,000 colones ($57) and it was installed on Saturday, April 2, by machinery and employees of H. Solis, the company that is repairing the road.
Due to repairs on this stretch of Route 150, many trees have been cut down and the aerial bridge that had been installed by Coopeguanacaste was removed, so the monkeys now cross the street. Barboza filed a complaint with MINAE (Ministry of Environment and Energy) the same day the accident occurred.
A howler monkey run over on Route 150 on March 31. Photo by Milagro Barboza.
Barboza also received 200,000 colones ($380) from INS employees and with that money, she and Alvarez hope to buy materials and get the labor to build four more better-quality bridges in Nicoya and strengthen the sides of the one that was already installed on Saturday.
Another bridge will be installed in the La Granja neighborhood, two bridges will be put in before reaching Casitas de Nicoya and one will go up in Curime.
The money will also be used to make water containers for drinking and set up a maintenance system for the bridges.
The bridges are being built by Osdani Alvarez in Taller Cuba workshop in the La Granja neighborhood.
Alvarez Osdani hanging the bridge over Route 150 with machinery from the company H.Solis. Photo by Milagro Barboza.
Marilis Riba, president of Rescate Animal (Animal Rescue), saw our Facebook post about the monkeys being run over and came to Nicoya on Tuesday, April 5, to support them in building the bridges and installing small containers with molasses and other containers with water so that the monkeys come to drink.
They also coordinated with neighbors and UNA Nicoya students for them to refill the containers and to follow up on the hydration of monkeys.
“We want to involve the community a little bit because we come from San Jose and we can’t be coming to put water out for the monkeys. The UNA students and area neighbors went to see where the water containeres were and committed to refill them,” said Riba.
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