By Lisa Kraft-Gould, The Nosara Monkey Bridge Project
At sunrise in Nosara, Costa Rica, the jungle comes alive with a deep, echoing roar. The unmistakable call of the howler monkey rolls across the treetops — a sound that has defined this region for generations.
But today, those voices face a growing threat.
As development expands and forests are cleared, the natural canopy pathways monkeys depend on are disappearing. Without tree-to-tree connections, howler monkeys — now endangered — are forced to travel along power lines to reach food, water and their families. Tragically, these journeys often end in electrocution. While Costa Rica has strong wildlife protection laws, they’re not always consistently enforced, leaving many animals vulnerable as development grows.
Seeing this happen again and again was heartbreaking. I knew we had to find a way to help.
How bridges reconnect monkey habitat
The idea for the monkey bridges was simple: if monkeys need trees to travel, maybe we could build bridges to reconnect their world.
What began as a small idea quickly grew into something much bigger than I ever imagined. Wildlife rescuers stepped in, neighbors offered support and the Nosara Monkey Bridge Project was born.
From the beginning, this work has never been just mine. It has become a true collaboration with the incredible team at Sibu Sanctuary, along with countless community members who care deeply about protecting wildlife and have donated resources to make this work possible.
Together, we began installing aerial wildlife bridges across roads and power corridors, and cleared land. These rope bridges allow monkeys to move safely through the canopy without ever touching electrical wires.
Today, more than 145 monkey bridges connect fragmented habitat across Nosara.
Just as monkeys benefit from bridges in Costa Rica, cougars are benefitting from wildlife crossings in Florida and California. Read this story to learn how building bridges helps cougars.
Why monkey bridges matter
Howler monkeys live almost entirely in the treetops. Their survival depends on safe access to:
- Food
- Water
- Shelter
- Social groups
- Genetic diversity between troops
When canopy pathways disappear, monkey families become isolated. They risk electrocution and dangerous falls. If monkeys are forced to travel on the ground, they face additional threats from vehicles and predators. Entire troops can be lost in a single tragic moment.
A single bridge can reconnect habitat in a matter of hours — and save lives for years.
One of the most powerful moments for me is watching a troop discover a new bridge. Sometimes it takes hours, days or even weeks — but eventually, curiosity wins. Seeing a mother carry her baby across a rope bridge instead of a power line never stops being emotional.
It’s a reminder that simple solutions can make enormous differences.
Powered by community
This project exists because of community support. Local residents, visitors and businesses help fund bridge installations. Volunteers help us build and monitor them. Property owners generously allow bridges to cross their land. And our wildlife partners at Sibu Sanctuary help care for injured monkeys.
Every bridge represents a community choosing coexistence.
A wildlife-friendly future for Costa Rica
While we’ve made meaningful progress, the need continues to grow as development expands across Costa Rica’s coastal regions.
Our hope is to make wildlife-friendly infrastructure part of the conversation everywhere development happens — not just in Nosara.
Because protecting wildlife doesn’t always require massive change. Sometimes, it starts with something as simple as building a bridge.
For another monkey conservation story, watch “Second Chance Spider Monkeys” on Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild.
How you can help wildlife
Wildlife conservation belongs to all of us. Supporting conservation organizations, protecting trees and sharing awareness can all help create safer spaces for animals.
You can be part of the conservation effort by supporting the Nosara Monkey Bridge Project through Sibu Sanctuary. Learn more at sibusanctuary.org and follow Sibu Sanctuary on Facebook and Instagram to stay connected and help protect Costa Rica’s wildlife.
In Nosara, we’re building bridges between forests — and between people and wildlife.
And thanks to the community that made this possible, the howlers are still roaring.
Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom visited Costa Rica for an upcoming episode of Protecting the Wild. After seeing the benefits of the monkey bridges, Wild Kingdom is funding three new bridges to help save more howler monkeys for years to come. Stay tuned for the episode!
