The vertebrates (mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish) have played an important role in decision-making aimed at the conservation of the country’s biodiversity. This is due in part, to the following:

1) It is the taxonomic group on which the most information has been generated and disseminated.

2) Some species tend to require large areas for their survival, and as such are considered to be umbrella species (their conservation implies the conservation of many more species).

3) These groups are attractive to the general public (environmental education and tourism).

The Vertebrates unit is responsible for acquiring, processing, and transmitting information about the diversity, distribution and natural history of this group’s species in a way that supports decision-making for conservation and sustainable use (particularly in education and tourism). This unit also has the task of responding to information requests about vertebrates, including the updating of the Basic Information Units, and supervising and coordinating projects in this vital aspect of conservation.

The activities are carried out in close coordination with SINAC, and in alliance with vertebrate experts from the National University’s Regional Wildlife Management Program, the School of Biology of the University of Costa Rica, and various conservation NGOs.