King vulture (Sarcoramphus papa) is one of the three species of vultures present in Costa Rica. Although it is historically known in Central America - as evidenced by the Mayan iconography itself - there are many unknowns about the species in terms of biology and conservation. After capturing the animals with bait and manually closed cages, the Osa Conservation team proceeds with the collection of blood and tissue samples to evaluate the health conditions of the animals and identify any traces of antibiotics or heavy metals in the organism. The species would easily assimilate the latter if it fed on livestock raised on contaminated land. With the photographic comparison of the animal's skin and a ColorChecker at the beginning and end of the sample collection process, it was also verified whether the stress conditions to which the specimen is subjected can affect the color of the skin tissues as in turkey vulture. Other studies concern how king vultures move between Panama and Costa Rica and in particular the nesting preferences of the species, for which there is very little data. To do so, it was necessary to apply a GPS that could share precise positional information for at least six months following the installation on individuals. 

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- Made for Osa Conservation