Sustainable Design Spotlight: Floating House by Costa Rican-based designer Oliver Schutte won a Silver A’ Design Award for passive design and regenerative materials, highlighting low-impact building in the Central Valley. Wildlife Monitoring Win: A jaguar nicknamed Encanto was photographed again on Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula after nearly three years off camera, a rare confirmation of survival from Fundación Las Oncas’ long-running trap network. Storm & Flood Risk: Tropical Wave #43 keeps Costa Rica unstable this Sunday, with heavy rain, thunderstorms, lightning, and warnings for flooding, rising rivers, and landslides. Conservation-Adjacent Tourism Pressure: A Galápagos sea lion drew crowds at Playa Flamingo, but close approach and dogs’ barking unsettled it enough to return to the ocean—another reminder to keep distance. Tragedy at Oropéndola: A woman was recovered after a sudden river surge swept visitors near Oropéndola waterfall in Guanacaste; five escaped, one person remained missing until Sunday morning. Indigenous Knowledge Network: Healers and knowledge holders from Guyana, Suriname, and Brazil launched a regional traditional knowledge and healers network, pushing for integration of Indigenous medicinal knowledge into health systems. Plastic Waste Fallout: A report links China’s plastic-waste import ban to rising health risks and “waste colonialism” across Latin America, with Costa Rica-based experts pointing to open dumps and weak handling capacity. Seismic Monitoring Funding Fight: Costa Rican lawmakers questioned proposed 2027 cuts to earthquake/volcano/weather monitoring networks, after a strong Uvita-area quake and aftershocks raised urgency. Mangrove Recovery Theme: Coverage continues on restoring Costa Rica’s mangroves and what’s working as ecosystems rebound.