Jack Ewing

The cattle business may have brought Jack Ewing to Costa Rica, but his love of nature kept him there. In 1970 Jack and his wife and young daughter ventured to Costa Rica for a 4-month job. They never left. Although life in the jungle with few modern conveniences was a far cry from his native Colorado roots, his ever-growing fascination with the rainforest soon prompted his transformation into environmentalist and naturalist. Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge—a former cattle ranch and now a well-known ecotourism destination on the southwest coast of Costa Rica—was the result of Jack’s decades of dedication to forest ecology. His expertise on biological corridor projects is much sought after, and he is currently president of two environmental organizations, ASANA (Association of Friends of Nature) and FUNDANTA (Foundation for the Path of the Tapir Biological Corridor). A natural-born storyteller, Jack’s articles have appeared regularly in Costa Rican publications, and he often speaks to environmental, student and ecological traveler groups. His years of living in the rainforest have rendered a multitude of personal experiences, many of which are recounted in his first book, Monkeys Are Made of Chocolate. His newest title, Where Tapirs and Jaguars Once Roamed, is a fascinating look at the ecological and social history of southwestern Costa Rica, including the evolution of Hacienda Barú and the Path of the Tapir.