Category: Non classé

Summer has officially started at Esperanza Verde! Temperatures are soaring and there’s only the occasional bit of rainfall to water the earth. It’s the time of year where the smaller streams dry up and water becomes a constant issue. However, when it does rain there’s a remarkable and immediate response from the plants, with the greens becoming more vibrant overnight and new growth being observed wherever you look.

 

Monkeys

La Sapa cage was still the place to be this month. The interior of the cage received a makeover with old branches rehung and new branches added. The quantity of monkeys passing through this cage over the previous few months has really taken its toll on the enrichment. It’s been great to see how quickly an enclosure can be refreshed to enrich the lives of its ever changing inhabitants. Kres (female large headed capuchin) was given the green light to join the outside group. She has since been seen reuniting with Biko and Rayka (male and female juvenile large headed capuchins). Increased vigilance with locks and wires will hopefully mean an uneventful outside life can be enjoyed by a monkey who is eternally keeping volunteers and staff on their toes.

Cumala (adult female black spider monkey) has continued to be the source of particular interest this month. After her time with the male spider monkeys it seems that Cumala is getting larger and larger. Watch this space as it may mean that a new baby spider monkey is on the way. Fingers crossed!

Armando (young male red howler monkey) is going from strength to strength. Climbing and playing with the other monkeys and finding more independence with each day. As grown up as he likes to think he is, he can still be heard grumbling when he isn’t getting the attention he thinks he deserves from the volunteer keeping an eye on him each day.

The soft release of Yuria and Tito (equatorial saki monkeys) has continued into October, with both monkeys appearing to get more comfortable with their new freedom and surroundings. After initially being bullied by the other monkeys, they both now seem far more acclimatised. A soft release means that their enclosure is kept available to them to sleep in and receive some additional dietary support as needed. After weekly weight checks showed Tito’s weight had declined more than we’d normally expect to see. The decision was made to give them a few more weeks within the enclosure to ensure there was no underlying reason for his weight loss. Early indications show Tito’s weight increasing again and Yuria eager to return to the outside world.

Panki (baby male woolly monkey) was a sad moment in an otherwise exciting month at E.V. If one of the baby monkeys ever misses milk feeding, red flags are always raised as this is a time when babies are generally guaranteed to be seen. Panki was found on the ground and taken to the clinic. He seemed lethargic and was uninterested in food or drink. Panki’s demise was rapid and later that evening he passed away. The cause of death was internal problems caused by parasites. Although only a recent arrival at E.V. Panki is a loss that is deeply felt but all.

 

Other Animals

Mokwai and Rumani (crab eating raccoons) are still visiting every night, and eagerly await their evening feeding. Both raccoons are notching up superficial battle scars and it is unknown if they are from another animal or from each other. As they are both males it may come to a time where the more dominant of the two claim this as his territory while the other chooses to move on to a different area.

September saw of all of the remaining white winged parakeets in the Tupak enclosure caught, as it was apparent that a sufficient number had regained the ability to fly. After a quick wing quality check, the birds were again separated into flyers and non-flyers. Flyers were moved to a specially designed release cage, where they spent the evening de-stressing before the monkey proof hatch was opened to allow them to leave. After just two days another fifty birds had taken the opportunity at freedom, leaving just seventy in Tupak. In a few more months these birds will be revaluated for flight and hopefully released.

 

SUST Animal Orphan Hospital

Smyke (yellow footed river turtle) has been returned to the reptile enclosure. We are sure he will miss all the love and extra attention he received in the clinic, but it is great to have him back experiencing the greater freedom and the much larger pond.

 

New arrivals

This month saw another baby yellow footed tortoise come across from the village. After a quick check up it was released behind the family home. This was not the only new reptile arrival for September. A volunteer cleaning in the Pichu Aviary found a baby turtle (as yet unidentified species) residing in the aviary pond. It is unknown how it got in there, but as with the tortoise, a quick check up was in order prior to releasing back where he/she came from. At 120 grams it is only small but looks to be doing well while fending for itself. Volunteers were quick to name him Crush and although only small, everyone is keeping an eye out for sightings.

Government animal seizures are always welcome as they continue to hamper the illegal wildlife trade. This month saw four birds seized from a restaurant in Pucallpa. All four birds are in the SUSTAOH until the end of their quarantine period, when they will be moved to the Pichu Aviary. All four are too tame to be released into the wild, but should appreciate the added space to fly around in. The four birds are Tango (Orange winged amazon parrot), Rodi (Mealy parrot), Kit (Festive amazon parrot) and Aleesa (Scarlet Macaw).

Esperanza Verde had a visit from a couple from Pucallpa at the start of the month who wished to re-home two monkeys they had purchased. Douwe took time to explain the realities of purchasing illegal animals to the couple. Even if you believe you’re doing it with the best of intentions, it still adds momentum to the illegal wildlife trade. Seeing Douwe explain the stark realities shows the obvious passion both Olivia and Douwe have for their work here.

Yanamayu and Kuymi (adult large headed capuchins) spent their quarantine period in the SUSTOAH before being moved into La Sapa enclosure. Kuymi (female) is just over one year old and moved with Yanamayu into La Sapa so she was able to build a relationship with Kres. After this settling in period Kuymi was let out of the cage at the same time as Kres. Although sighted frequently, Kuymi is most often seen spending time on her own. Yanamayu remains in the enclosure with Apollo, another male capuchin. We hope that they will bond and form a strong friendship.

On visiting nearby Pucallpa, Douwe was asked if E.V was able to take an adult male Woolly monkey who was to be seized by the ministry. After seeing this magnificent animal chained to a tree out in the hot sun, there was only one decision to be made. Kamayo has now completed his quarantine period and has moved in to La Sapa. Moving went without a hitch and Kamayo appears unimpressed by the posturing of Loki (male woolly monkey). Both monkeys have so far kept their distance and other than a minor interaction appear to be living peacefully.

Animals coming to the rescue centre can appear from anywhere. Douwe was walking Marlon to school in nearby Bello Horizonte when he was given a Margay kitten. Initially the Kitten refused to eat and had to be force fed by Douwe for two days. Thankfully on day three the kitten (Diego) began to suckle and drink as expected. Diego is currently being cared for directly by Olivia and Douwe and is being fed milk five times a day.

 

Construction and other

More volunteers has freed up both Douwe and Gieler to concentrate on the quarantine.
September has seen more of the smooth cement coat completed, one set of doors and windows fitted, and work has begun on the kitchen. When it’s written down it doesn’t sound like much, but the visual difference is huge! Take a look at the pictures and see what a vast improvement and mammoth workload has been completed this month. Work on completing more doors and windows has been hindered, as power cuts in the village has meant that it hasn’t always been possible to weld when Douwe is free to try.

 

Volunteers

This month the volunteers were treated to a night walk with Douwe. Although so many fabulous and new sights are to be seen every day at E.V. the nights offer a whole different world to ensure you are in awe all over again. Always the true entertainer, Douwe turned up fashionably late, but with a more than satisfactory excuse, as he had a small caiman in his arms. After a short explanation it was released again in the nearby stream. Quiz nights appear to have become a monthly ritual and now music quizzes have also joined the fray. Between that and the bonfires, there is never a dull moment.

August was another great month, with a changing team of volunteers coming into their own and getting the hang of what is required when running a rescue centre. The dry season has kicked in and the amount of leaves on the ground shows that the flora is really feeling the effects. Even with everybody doing their best at water conservation it still needs to be pumped from the small stream every few days.

 

Monkeys

August was a continuation of July’s primate behaviour, with a lot of noise and bravado from monkeys trying to impress us. One again demonstrating that they should never have been with people in the first place!

La Sapa seemed to be where all the action was this month. Biko and Rayko (young male large headed capuchins) were moved from the clinic and joined Apollo (adult male large headed capuchin), Kres (female large headed capuchin) and Nando (male white fronted capuchin) in La Sapa. Although we’d rather have them outside, it is rewarding to watch these rescued animals all interacting well and apparently enjoying their enclosure.

Following on from last months debate regarding Loki (male woolly monkey) the decision was made to enclose him. His behavior was a constant worry and we have to consider both human and animal safety.

Initially Loki was put in with Rimaq and Lucio (our adult male spider monkeys). Experience has taught us that careful observation was required as spider monkeys can be unpredictable when dealing with other adult males. Around dusk, Rimaq and Lucio decided to chase Loki. The situation was quickly controlled as Olivia acted instantly and there were no injuries. So much for a happy family of monkeys! The second choice was to put Loki in La Sapa with the group of capuchin monkeys (Nando, Apollo, Kres, Biko, and Rayko). Although looking unhappy being enclosed again, Loki fitted well within this group and is certainly the alpha, dominating the feeding table. This was only a short-term option as the capuchins were set to be released later this month. But even this was not to be… Unfortunately because of a momentary lack of concentration, all six monkeys were prematurely released from the enclosure. Sometimes animals can’t wait…

Despite the premature release everything seemed to be going fine to begin with but unfortunately on one day Apollo didn’t back off when Olivia was walking past and attacked her. Apollo ran off and fortunately Olivia avoided bites and only suffered some scratches. Since he’s been out he has not gone into the trees and his unpredictable behaviour and short fuse make him a potential danger to us. It seems that just like Loki he may have to be an animal enclosed for everyone’s safety. We can’t blame the animals for this, as their behaviour is the fault of the people who decided to take a wild animal as a pet. Apollo is back in La Sapa enclosure.

Not everything was sad though! Nando found the company of our adult female white fronted capuchin, Chaira, whilst Biko and Rayko are enjoying the outside and seem to be fine with the outside group of capuchins. We hope with some time and effort from us, we can teach these young capuchins to concentrate on their own species. We consider this one of the most important jobs here and is the reason for our no touch policy. If we can break these animals of their attachment to humans then we can avoid permanently enclosing them in the future.

Locking animals in cages is never a decision taken lightly. When animals have been taken from their natural environment, their behaviours may have been modified either intentionally or otherwise. They are “damaged”, often both physically and mentally. Rescue Centres like Esperanza Verde are the last link in the chain. Rehabilitation and release is an amazing feeling, but with some animals, release can result in death, either swiftly from a predator or slowly as the animal does not have the skills needed to fend for themselves. There are no easy decisions and we have to rely on our experience and expertise to guide us.

Cumala (adult female black spider monkey), who was in the Rimaq enclosure with the males this year, was released, along with Cesar a young male spider monkey. He was soon seen playing with the other baby spider monkey Katinka and has been seen interacting with with Cumala as well.

We now have separate Howler monkey and Saki monkey enclosures. Darwin and Ramon (male red howler monkeys) were moved so that there was space for Armando to spend the night with them. This was a big step for Armando as he is finally spending nights in an outdoors enclosure. Whilst nervous at first, once relaxed it was so adorable to see all three monkeys sleeping together. Armando still has a dedicated volunteer each day looking after his needs and keeping an eye on him. He can often be seen climbing or playing with other monkeys which is fantastic for his development and something we envisage will only get better and better.

With the howlers moved out there was room for Tito (male equatorial saki monkey) to move from the clinic into Roko with Yuria our female saki monkey. The initial hope was that these two monkeys would form a bond as a couple. Both monkeys united quickly but in more of a mother and son capacity. The door was opened to see of they fancied exploring. They didn’t, but the outside monkeys were delighted to go in to their enclosure and help themselves to the saki food! Anyway after being hassled enough we closed the door again, but it’ll open up again tomorrow. We will let you know in the next update how it went….

 

Other Animals

Rino, Celia and Merida (male and two female collared peccaries) made the big move into Xena enclosure with our resident peccaries, Timo, Kohana and Roxanna (male and two females). Introducing new peccaries to an existing group is always a high-risk period, as it is not always without conflict. Thankfully all went well and it seems the oldest female, Kohana, is taking an interest in the newcomers, but a real peccary hug has still to be seen between them all.

Moving the peccaries from the Rincay enclosure allowed the opportunity for the ten largest yellow footed tortoises to be moved back again, with Pepito, our “alpha” tortoise, leading the group of course. This allowed for more freedom for all involved. Tortoise ‘hunting’ is always a favourite job for the volunteers, as not only does it give the opportunity of contact with such interesting animals, but it is also a chance to share some knowledge about the species.

Tandoori (female tamandua or lesser anteater) was another August success. Coming from the Ministry a little less than two months ago, Tandoori was weak and not eating properly. A mixed diet of termites and a special power mix of proteins and carbohydrates saw a remarkable difference in Tandoori’s energy levels, and prior to release you could see her destroying termite nests on a daily basis.

Aldo and Afra (scarlet macaw) made the move from the clinic this month joining the remaining macaws and amazons in Pichu aviary. When these two came to EV they had been residing in a small cage that didn’t give them the chance to even stretch their wings. Although not able to be released into the wild, it is great to see these two now with the space to fly freely and socialise at will.

Asan and Ramara (blue and yellow macaw) were the last to be moved from the Pichu aviary, and after one day in the clinic to be chipped and for a general check up, they got moved to the Elmo enclosure. They both seem to be settling in well

After a few walks with Mokwai and Rumani (crab eating raccoons), where they just decided to stay out, and come back when they felt like it, we made the decision to give them some greater freedom. We have started to leave the door open each night allowing the racoons to come and go as they please, while putting their food in at night. At daybreak, Craig would then come and close the cage, with them in it or, not. It was beautiful to see how quickly they got used to this system. They sometimes came and some nights didn’t, maybe dependent on what they managed to catch that night in the stream.

Mastina (female agouti) was moved from her enclosure under the long term volunteer’s residence to join the tortoises in the reptile enclosure. We’ve had success in releasing agoutis from this enclose before. The fence is low enough for them to come and go, but high enough to offer protection if they need it. Mastina took the chance of freedom on the second day, but was found dead nearby two days later, possibly from a dog attack. An extremely unfortunate reminder of the stark truth, that regardless of the precautions taken, releasing animals comes with a high degree of risk, of which we learn in a harsh kind of way.

 

SUST Animal Orphan Hospital

The concern with empty cages within the SUSTAOH, is that somehow they all tend to fill up when you are least prepared for it. August was a great month with so many animals being released into either bigger enclosures or complete freedom.

Leo (male squirrel monkey) spent less than a month in captivity while his arm and fingers healed. At the time of release Leo had started moving his arm again, and although the two fingers weren’t being used they certainly looked better than the day he arrived when we feared he would lose them. He joined his group again, and we hope, with breeding season ending and him having learned a lesson, he will avoid any fights with bigger males.

Mashi and Almira (male and female woolly monkey) are still within the SUSTAOH but are now awaiting space to free up in an outside cage so they can have more contact and visits by all the outside monkeys. This is an important stage in their release as it will allow them to bond with the released group.

Smyke (yellow footed river turtle) has moved back to the clinic from the Aguatena. Although not as comfortable as the purpose built Aguatena, by having Smyke close to the clinic it is easier to monitor the injury on his leg that currently requires antibiotics.

 

New arrivals

One of the new arrivals this month was a baby yellow footed tortoise, which was found on Geilers, one of EV’s workers, plantation. As tortoises are still eaten locally Geiler brought the tortoise to EV for its own safety. It wasn’t around long enough to even receive a name, and after a quick check to ensure it was healthy the tortoise was released behind the family house where it is able to live in relative safety.

The other new arrival for the month is Takari a small male spider monkey who is less than six months old. Takari was found by a lady in Pucallpa who came across him when she discovered some hunters preparing what is believed to be his mother for eating. Having saved the baby he was handed over to us and is now in the same cage as the woolly monkeys Almira and Mashi. Takari looks to be settling in well and plays actively with the two other baby monkeys.

Another short arrival was a very young baby peccary. She was found by locals from the village and handed over to us. They only had her for a few days but already had severe diarrhoea. Although she seemed lively and was actively drinking a special dehydration mixture, she died the next day. Too young to be without her proper mother.

 

Construction and other

The bridge between the bodega and volunteer kitchen was completed this month. Douwe, Geiler and Jeremie (one of the handier volunteers) did a fantastic job and a whole lot of heavy lifting to get the job completed with very little disruption to the daily activities going on around EV. One of the main benefits of the new cement bridge is that there is no concern of the beams rotting or being eaten by termites. Only one more hand rail is required before yet another major construction project can be added to the completed list.

Last month in the quarantine a dedicated contractor was obtained to complete a layer of cement over the brick work to ensure water proofing and ease of cleaning. Unfortunately the contractor finished prior to the completion of the task at hand. Both Geiler and Jeremie handled it in their stride and work on the cement layer has not missed a beat. The first layer of cement was completed this month leaving only a smooth coat to be completed by Douwe and Geiler in September. It is always amazing the talents and skill that come through when dealing with such a great number of volunteers.

Again this month we had a special visit from a local conservation group named ‘Vida Verde’. This is an initiative to bring young people together to help conserve nature. They come together every week and organise days in which they go collect garbage, at the beach of the river Ucayali in Pucallpa for example. Showing this group around really demonstrated how important education is. It’s amazing to see these young people, so full of energy and motivation to help conserve nature and its inhabitants.

 

Volunteers

August was the last month many volunteers would have with Olivia before she heads away on a well-deserved 6 week holiday, leaving Douwe, Alex (returning assistant manager) and Craig (our long-term assistant) at the helm. What better excuse to have a get together and another attempt at a quiz night…

If June was a month of creative animal management then July took it one step further with the volunteers having to work with extra effort and passion. It was a quiet month for new arrivals with only a few new faces turning up on our doorstep. This month also saw the yearly ministry audit and we are pleased to say that we passed with flying colours yet again!

 

Monkeys

July has seen a great deal of mood swings from our monkeys, as for many of the species, the mating season has started. Many of our hormonal teenagers have been pushing the boundaries, both within their group and with us humans. Monkeys seek to improve their social standing at this time of year, which can lead to a lot of screaming as they square off against each other.

There were serious considerations made to put both Loki and Samara (adult male and female woolly monkeys) in an enclosure this month. Samara had recently been showing the volunteers a lot of attention as she reaches sexual maturity. This isn’t the first time we’ve had this problem at EV and a great deal of time and effort is taken to do what is best for the monkey whilst taking human safety into consideration as well. Samara had started following volunteers around, making their day to day jobs much harder. Additionally, Samara had started following volunteers into areas of the forest where the locals, and their dogs, frequent, putting her at increased risk.

Loki has been going through a growth spurt, and if the extra bulk and muscle showing is anything to go by, he will become quite a formidable monkey in the years to come. With the volunteer changeovers that have happened recently, Loki had decided that this was a chance for him to move up in the hierarchy and had started trying to intimidate new volunteers and generally being far less cautious than he should be. Loki is so good with the baby monkeys, it would be a real shame to have him locked away. Rather than enclosing at this time we are hoping that with increased training and consistency on our part and by modifying our behaviour we hope that both Samara and Loki can have a long and fruitful time outside as enclosing animals is something we always try and avoid.

Having spent a lot of time in captivity prior to arrival at EV, Kres (female large headed capuchin monkey), has always been a monkey which would rather try and interact humans than with her own kind. She has always been the first one to show us the shortfalls of any of our security designs. Recently she has learnt how to remove the wire which we keep on our most secure cages. With this, and increasingly destructive behaviour around the EV, the difficult decision was made to put Kres in La Sapa with Apollo (male large head capuchin), Nando (male white capuchin) and Cesar (male spider monkey). It is never the aim to enclose animals unnecessarily, but we hope that this will prove beneficial in the long run as the three capuchin monkeys might build a “family unit”, and when they are released stand a greater chance at survival together.

Panki (male woolly monkey) was released from the La Sapa enclosure this month and it has been interesting to see the growth in his personality and how comfortable he has become in such a short time. Loki had been showing a great deal of interest since Panki arrived, so when Panki was released, it was great to see the initial comfort Loki provided. Male Woolly monkeys often spend a great deal of time with the young and it is great to see Loki practicing his paternal skills.

 

Other Animals

Grety (female margay) has been benefitting from the sudden influx of rats, getting a rat some mornings as well as her normal afternoon meal of chicken and organs. It is hard to say whether Grety gets more enjoyment from hunting for a dead rat, or from eating it. Needless to say, watching Grety play can be quite enjoyable, if you have the stomach for it! All rats are killed humanely prior to feeding to Grety unless they are ones foolish enough to have entered her enclosure and she has caught them herself.

Aeris (female opossum) is the last remaining opossum of our group of opossums that were released on the upper plantation. Although her door remains open 24/7 it appears she is more than happy with the arrangements as they are. Let’s see if August proves the month where she leaves her safety net and moves into the great wide world.

Rafiki (blue and yellow macaw) now has company. He was joined by an old friend from the Pichu (aviary) enclosure. At the start of the month Ermina (scarlett macaw) was found having suffered a fall, she is incapable of flight already, now had minor damage to a leg as well. After a brief stay in the SUST Orphan Animal Hospital, Ermina has now joined Rafiki as a permanent roommate. Both birds are benefiting from the private space where they can stretch their wings and recover, without the fear of falling from a great height or being grabbed by the other maccaws.

Pekka, Kiara and Siro (orange winged amazon parrots) have completed their flight training and been moved to the Pichu enclosure (aviary) where they joined the other resident birds, allowing them plenty of space to fly and experience life closer to the real thing. The ultimate aim would have been to release these magnificent animals, but unfortunately having been removed from the nest so young, these birds will never learn the necessary skills to survive in the wild.

 

SUST Animal Orphan Hospital

So few new animals until the end of the month was a welcome reprieve which allowed volunteers and staff more time to focus on the needs of the current clinic animals and any new issues as they arose. Just as the clinic seemed to go for a quiet period, a new arrival and an injured squirrel monkey needed some help.

Leo (male squirrel monkey) had been spotted a few days prior to capture, with injuries on his face and one of his arms hanging limp. Thankfully with a small amount of encouragement, Craig, our long term volunteer, was able to lure him into a cage. It was evident he had encountered a larger male and come off second best, leaving him with very bad injuries on his left arm. He was moved to the clinic, where he now is receiving treatment and will stay until he is fully recovered.

Mayla (orange winged amazon parrot) unfortunately passed away in the latter parts of the month, succumbing to an abscess in the stomach cavity. Sayani, (orange winged amazon parrot) spent a few days alone in the cage they had shared, before she joined the birds in Igor enclosure. As she (or he) has only one eye and never has tried out her wings, she has now time to strengthen her flying and landing abilities prior to being moved to Pichu, where she can re-join the group she arrived with.

Fonzo (male capybara) was moved from the clinic and now resides in the Momo enclosure. This is an open topped enclosure around the long-term volunteer cabin. He seems to enjoy the large space and his own pond. Fonzo is adapting well to the situation, which we are grateful for as capybaras can grow up to sixty kilograms, so having him friendly certainly is advantageous.

Mashi (male woolly monkey) is out of the small cage and now in one of the main clinic cages with Almira (female woolly monkey). They were initially separated as Mashi would cling to Almira for comfort using her as his mother, but Almira is not much larger than Mashi and not able to sustain the extra weight of another monkey. Although appreciating the company, Mashi is now more independent which gives Almira more time to play.

Smyke (yellow footed river turtle) has been spending time in the clinic over the last month, having been found floating awkwardly in the reptile enclosure and not being shy of people, which is rather out of character. She was found to have a swollen leg and after spending time in the garden at the clinic, was moved to the Aguatena. Smyke certainly looks comfortable in the purpose built enclosure and once healed, she will be moved back to the reptile enclosure.

 

New arrivals

Rino, Celia and Merida (male and two female White collared peccaries) were dropped off on the first day of the month. They were all very young, but were in good condition as they had been purchased by a very kind gentleman in Pucallpa wishing to save them from becoming bush meat. Douwe did a lot of explaining about how this kind of purchase just stimulates the trade in wildlife, however we’re not sure if this message was really heard. Douwe and Olivia have always worked hard to explain that we will never purchase an animal and that all purchasing, in the long run, does more harm than good as it adds to the illegal wildlife trade.
All three, Celia, Merida and Rino (two females, one male) spent some time in the SUST Animal Orphan Clinic being treated for parasites before being moved to the Rincay enclosure. This gives all three peccaries plenty of space to roam and the first contact can be made with our resident peccaries, Timo, Kohana and Roxanna, while having the security of a fence separating them.

Douwe and Olivia attempted to take a few days away from EV in the closing stages of the month, however you can take the grown-ups out of EV, but you can’t take the EV out of the grown-ups. A lot of their time was spent purchasing anything required for the centre, and of course, they weren’t able to go away without bringing a gift back for the volunteers, nope not chocolate! Tito (male Equatorial Saki Monkey), had been handed to the ministry in Pucallpa, so the timing was perfect for this little guy. He will spend his quarantine period in the clinic prior to joining Yuria (female Equatorial Saki Monkey), Ramon and Darwin (male Howler monkeys) This is great for both Tito and Yuria as they can be released at the same time. We hope that this will give them both some added comfort and confidence as they experience life outside at EV.

 

Construction and other

Construction on the quarantine certainly got a lift this month, with a dedicated contractor coming in to complete the cement layer over the brickwork making it waterproof and easy to clean when it is in use. later

The new bridge between the bodega and volunteer kitchen had its vertical supports sunk during the month, with Geiler doing a remarkable job in what is not the easiest of areas to work in. These supports needed to dry for a few weeks before the beams constructed last month can be added to the equation. Douwe envisages this project being completed early August, so stayed tuned for pictures!

This month also saw us receive a visit from a local volunteer group called, Voluntariado de Biodiversidad Ucayalina. A group of young people in Pucallpa started this initiative to help the flora and fauna of Peru and this month they gave us a generous donation to buy materials for EV. We hope in the future of few of these dedicated young people may also volunteer at our rescue centre.

 

Volunteers

You may have wondered regarding the opening comment about our volunteers going above and beyond. This month saw our volunteer count get down to five volunteers, including Laura. Several volunteers had to leave early due to unrelated personal reasons. Days off were given up and everybody worked well together. Douwe and Olivia were even brought in to do tours, which was a really nice change of pace for all involved. There is something to be said about working in a small team and a remarkable job was done by all those left manning the fort. The last two weeks of the month saw four new recruits join the team, returning some semblance of normality.

Anyone who has volunteered at EV in the last twelve months will know Laura the Assistant Manager and the difference she makes to the daily goings on. She is always very supportive, knowledgeable and keeps things pointing in the right direction. Laura finishes on the last day of the month and will be taking a well-deserved break before heading off on a new adventure. We all wish her well and she will be sorely missed.

July was the month when Kayla turned the magical 15 years old. A momentous occasion in South America and all those involved were treated to quite the affair.
A lot of preparation went into the night where very little was purchased premade, Kayla making a lot of the decorations, and Douwe making all of the more substantial items. It was impossible to tell decorations hadn’t been purchased, with the added satisfaction of knowing it had the personal touch. The entire family scrubbed up remarkably well, the guys looking suave and the ladies looking radiant. A great night was had by all who attended, and Kayla had the night she desired and deserved, looking beautiful the entire time.

June was the month where cages were filled as fast as they were emptied. Thankfully the entire team was up to the challenge with 13 new animals arriving throughout the month. Creative animal management was the key to ensuring everyone was secure in the best environment to suit their needs.

Monkeys

This month saw Ramon and Darwin (male howler monkeys) move from their long term residence in Pepe enclosure, to the Roko enclosure, using it as a place to sleep in the evenings after a hard day of freedom playing with the other baby monkeys. There they joined Yuria (female Equatorial Saki) who was moved there from the clinic. Yuria seems quite relaxed about it all and primarily keeps to herself. Armando (youngest male howler monkey) also joins Yuria for a little time each day. The idea is he will slowly get more used to being with monkeys instead of hanging on to humans. However this process cannot be rushed as too much pressure could have the opposite effect and make Armando less enthusiastic about leaving the security of his caretaker. Baby steps are the key.

Tonka (male Andean Saddleback Tamarin) has moved and left the clinic for the outside enclosure Lucia. With him now outside and the fantastic calls you can hear him making, we hope this will soon encourage some interest from a wild troop of Tamarins.

Other Animals

Mokwai and Rumani (crab eating racoons) were also moved from La Sapa to Pepe. We really hope you can keep up with all the changes; it’s a very common occurrence at a rescue centre! We had to make room for the monkey group from the clinic (see new arrivals), so we would be ready for new comers in need of rescue. Soon we will hope to have more time to take them on some well deserved outside walks.

June was an exciting month for our opossums. Cia had three babies and if that wasn’t enough, not only did they get a new home they also got the chance at release.
Two large cages were set up and then joined together in a tree in the plantation. After a week of getting comfortable with the new location, the doors were opened in the evenings. Initially Rubai was the only one to fully embrace the freedom and has not been seen since. Cia now disappears for a few days at a time and Aeris appears quite happy to come and go as she pleases, although she is always home for her evening meal, which is still diligently supplied by our team.

The new Elmo enclosure is finally seeing its full potential, with the seven blue and yellow macaws being transferred from the front cage to now roam freely throughout the full enclosure. It was slow going initially with the birds unwilling and uncertain about their new found space, but surely enough, once one led the charge the others were quick to follow.
For those volunteers fortunate enough to participate in the ‘release’, it was a moment to be cherished, savouring a moment that so many had worked tirelessly towards. These birds will never be returned to the wild as they were removed from the nest too young to know how to survive, but through the efforts of EV team they will be given the next best thing. These birds will now have the chance to interact with their own species freely and be surrounded by their natural habitat.

With the front cage of Elmo now free, it was a great opportunity to get everyone’s favourite blue and yellow macaw out of the clinic and back out into the open. Rafiki made the move with very little hassle and appears to be adjusting well. Plenty of interest was shown both ways between the seasoned veteran and the younger birds and it looks like they will all make very good neighbours. Rafiki won’t be able to join them in the big enclosures as there is too big of a risk of falling from a height, as unfortunately he can’t use his wings at all.

From the day they arrived in March, the white-winged parakeets have been a roller coaster ride of emotions, testing peoples will, and often making volunteers wonder if they were making a difference. To everyone who has ever had that thought, I really wish they could have been at EV this month. This month saw the remaining parakeets undergo a flying assessment to ascertain which individuals were suitable for release. They were later given a final dose of anti-parasite medication to prepare them for release. For the strongest flyers it was time to move to the Aquatena (at the new quarantine site) as a special hatch had been installed to allow the birds to leave as and when they felt comfortable. Seeing the birds leave their transport boxes was a sight to behold. Prior to their arrival, all these birds had had their feathers cut when they were captured, so seeing them fly at full strength again was confirmation that our hard work had paid off. After a day or so in Aquatena all birds had left and it was time to move on to assessing the next group.
Seeing and hearing parakeets flying around freely is now a common occurrence on site and although we can’t guarantee all of them will survive in the wild, the smiles on the people who have worked so hard to give these beautiful animals a second chance speaks volumes. There can be no doubt, YES we are making a difference!

SUST Animal Orphan Hospital

You will have surmised from the above that the SUST Animal Orphan Hospital was busy all month and this culminated in the final few days of June with the another nine animals arriving on the last Thursday of the month.

Sayani, and Mayla (orange winged amazon parrots) are still in the clinic and are both being treated for different eye conditions. We are still hopeful that they can both join the other birds in the Igor cage soon.

New arrivals

Tandoori, a female tamandua or lesser anteater, showed up in a garden in the suburbs of Pucallpa and the Ministry was called to pick her up. She was taken care of for some time by a veterinarian in Pucallpa and it seems she had been used to people and had likely been in captivity before that. She was placed in the Tiliku cage, as Kiko and Kila (our male and female kinkajous) had not been using it that frequently, and are now fed on an outside table. She is receiving fresh termites daily as well as a power mix made by Olivia twice a day. Her strength and enthusiasm is coming ahead in leaps and bounds which is hugely positive as the aim is to release her as soon as she is strong enough.

Cesar (male spider monkey) and Nando (male white capuchin) were raised from a baby by a woman living in Pucallpa and then were later confiscated by the Ministry. Apollo (male large headed capuchin) was found on the streets. At first Apollo was separated but soon we noticed the interest he and the others had in one another, and as space was sparse we decided to introduce him to Nando and Cesar. Panki also joined the group as he would benefit from the company. He would get more stimulation to eat, as eating is a very social thing with most monkey groups.

While the ministry visited they mentioned another group of animals being held in poor condition in a tourist facility in Pucallpa. Douwe went to verify while being in Pucallpa and knew we had to make space for these animals, as we feared they would not survive long in their conditions.
This was the instigator for all the moving of so many animals mentioned above. It is a true credit to both Olivia and Douwe’s organisation skills, as less than two weeks later the government arrived with the following animals.
In preparation Apollo, Nando, Cesar and Panki were move to La Sapa enclosure, and Panki directly received some hugging (through the mesh) from Loki, our biggest male outside woolly monkey.

So just about ready, with the happy note of many parakeets released, the ministry came with:

Aldo and Afra, two scarlet macaws, healthy and now in a small cage in our operation room.

Rayko and Biko, two large headed capuchin monkeys. Rayko being the smallest but both active and playfull but still a bit too skinny.

Mashi and Almira, male and female woolly monkeys, very young. Almira is playful and estimated about 8-9 months old and is already happily playing with the capuchins. Mashi is about 6 months and very skinny. He sleeps separately at night in a small cage, while spending some time during the day with the capuchins and Almira, as well as spending some time with a volunteer to stimulate him to eat and teach him what he should eat.

Maru, a juvenile male Ma’s night monkey, a very curious species. He will be a nice future companion for our outside night monkeys Luna and Otis.

Fonzo, a very young male capybara stole every ones heart immediately, as he happily greets anyone entering the treatment room. Yes we had to make use of all the space in the clinic this busy time.

Mastina, young female agouti, is the one of this group that is less tame. She is in good health, and resides in the cage that once was made for a Paka, under the long-term volunteer cabin.

These animals were all seized from a tourism venture that had no idea of how to look after them and what their needs were from day to day. Most of them are very young and underweight and many have underlying issues yet to be diagnosed.
This is a great reminder to anyone that if you stay at a hotel that has animals as an attraction you are supporting the illegal wildlife trade. Most of these animals have come from the illegal market and were captured from the wild for profit.
Complain to management and then if you are able, leave and find somewhere else to stay that does not support animal trade.

Construction and other

As mentioned above we saw a great deal of moving and shuffling of animals and enclosures. The work involved in cleaning and building up each enclosure to suit particular animals is considerable and soaked up a lot of the available construction time.

Other projects that gained momentum this month was the beginning of cement beams for a replacement bridge that is needed between the Volunteer kitchen and the Bodega. Likewise efforts were focussed on taking more bricks to the new quarantine.

Although work on the quarantine has appeared to slow, we should see the completion of the brickwork in the next eight weeks, giving the workers a change of pace with the next stage of construction beginning.

Volunteers

Another quiz night between the volunteers happened this month which may well be testament to how much the last one was enjoyed. This time the entire family of Olivia, Douwe, Kayla and Marlon was to join the volunteers for a hearty roast before beginning the challenge. There were only three randomly selected teams, and it was a draw for first place. Bragging rights were to be had by none, but a lot of sarcasm was to follow for the next few days for the team that lost. Olivia was at the helm of the losing team and as punishment the entire team was sent out in the dark to “test” the electric fence around Arana. Childish you may say, but incredibly satisfying if you were on the winning teams watching.

San Juan, a local celebration of a saint took place this month, all of the volunteers were treated to a lunch down at the waterfall where lunch was supplied and is representative of the head of the saint. A great time was had by all, and the perfect weather and company made for a very pleasant atmosphere.

We all await what challenges and celebrations are to evolve during July.

Variety is said to be the spice of life, and May delivered it in abundance. Side projects were completed, new animals arrived, animals were released and so much more. Keep reading for all the latest news from EV…

 

Monkeys

Armando (male howler monkey) is still under intense supervision but he is becoming more independent each day. He has a dedicated volunteer looking after him at all times and he is regularly taken to the plantation and port to look for leaves. Leaves are a vital part of howlers diet and he already has his favourites. The younger leaves are the best! Armando also spends an hour each day in the Pepe enclosure to give him some independence and to learn to feed himself from the food tables. We have raised several howler monkeys over the years and but so far Armando is proving to be the fastest learner. We hope that it won’t be too long before he joins the rest of the monkey troop in the jungle!

Earlier this month news reached us that a spider monkey has been spotted on a nearby plantation. Cumala, one of our female spider monkeys had not been spotted recently and so we instantly suspected it might be her. Sure enough when Douwe and Geiler went to investigate, they found Cumala sitting amongst the farmers’ crops. It is not uncommon for females to wander from the group when it is mating season. Given that she had strayed from our protected area of rainforest, the decision was made to capture her and bring her back to safety. Thankfully this went smoothly, and she is now back with the group. She will be enclosed for a short period before being released again.

Nayro and Burbujas, two male capuchin monkeys, arrived at EV some months ago. Their rehabilitation period had gone well and so we decided to try and release them. Burbujas was the first to venture from the enclosure and took it all in his stride. Nayro took a little longer and only ventured outside when Kres, a female capuchin monkey, ventured into the enclosure and carried him on her back. For their safety Nayro and Burbujas were intensely observed for the first few days in the jungle. The first interactions with the wild group are a tense period and we can never be sure if a new monkey would be accepted. Nayro encountered the wild alpha male Maku briefly in the first few days and even went on to harass an older male shortly after. He was testing his boundaries as all monkeys of his age do and thankfully the group took it well. Over the next few weeks their confidence appeared to grow daily and they were seen socialising with the high raking females. Despite their initial success, Nayro and Burbujas recently disappeared. The reason remains unknown. Whilst we hope for the best, there are many dangers in the jungle and despite our best efforts we cannot defend our animals from them all.

 

Other mammals

You might well have read about the earthquake in Peru earlier this month. During the night Douwe and Olivia were woken by the earth shaking, and then to their surprise they heard the call of a kinkajou. Douwe said it sounded like a young one, but as Kiko (a male we released) had often been found sleeping in a trunk under the house, they thought it was him. As the crying noise did not stop, Douwe went to investigate…. Turns out that the kinkajou that had been sleeping under the house was not Kiko but in fact Kila, the female we had released alongside him. Kila was nowhere to be found but had indeed been nesting in the trunk, as Douwe found a small baby kinkajou. Kila was out foraging. The little kinkajou was also woken up by the earthquake and was calling out for her mum. The baby is doing well. Kila is taking good care of her and is with her during the day. At night she leaves the nest to go look for food. Kila is a smart one and picked a safe spot for a nest, as no predator will dare to come close to her baby with Douwe and Olivia as guardians!

Grety, the female margay, is doing well and growing everyday. She gets a little more confident and a little more feisty each time we visit her. Grety is always happy to see us coming, as our volunteers bring new enrichment or her daily leaf parcels of meat or chicken.

Our crab eating raccoons, Mokwai and Rumani have been growing big time! They always enjoy their daily fish portion and venturing out with our volunteers to explore the local jungle. These walks are an important part of their rehabilitation process. The more confident they are in the jungle and the more their independence grows, the better chance they have a surviving in the wild.

 

SUST Animal Orphan Hospital

This month we finally had some enclosures empty in the clinic and so we were able to finish the improvements started a few months ago. Our team have been working hard putting in new cement feeding tables. By taking advantage of the empty cage we were able to shuffle the residents around, and all four cages have now been upgraded. These new instalments will make the enclosures easier and faster to prepare when new animals arrive.

 

New arrivals

Two young dwarf caimans were handed over to Douwe in the village. The parent had been caught in a fishing net and was killed for meat. Thankfully the two young ones were taken by a good Samaritan and given to EV. After a short stay with us they were released, as there is plenty of fish in the nearby river to keep them sustained.

On Olivia’s return from Pucallpa, we were all privileged to meet her latest travel companion Yuria (female Equatorial Saki). Yuria is another first for EV as we have never had a Saki monkey before. At approximately 12 months old she is a sub adult. She has spent her entire life in a cage and was seized by the government. As our experience with this species is limited, it has been a slow process to establish a routine for Yuria and to work out her preferences and the ideal healthy diet. As her requirements are similar to that of the howler monkeys, it is envisaged she will join both Ramon and Darwin in the Pepe enclosure at the end of her quarantine period.

Unsurprisingly, as it always seems to work this way, no sooner than some enclosures were empty, they filed up again! On the weekly Monday shopping, Olivia was called to pick up a woolly monkey that had been held as a pet for about 6 months. The owner had left Curimana and left the monkey behind. Thankfully we managed to get hold of him before he was sold on again. He is called Panki and is now in the SUST Animal Orphan Hospital undergoing anti-parasite treatment. Our outside woollies are showing a lot of interest in him and Loki especially is spending a lot of time hanging in front of his window, which is always a good sign.

Tonka (male Andean Saddleback Tamarin) has settled well into a larger cage within the clinic. With consistent weight gains we feel he will soon be ready to release, all we need is the group of wild tamarins to show interest. Under normal conditions, the group should accept him and take him along with them.

Sayani, and Mayla (orange winged amazon parrots) remain in the clinic and are being treated and readied to join the other birds in the Igor enclosure. Sayani has made good weight gains (6%) in the last month, while Mayla remains static neither gaining or losing weight.

 

Construction and other

EV living just got a little bit easier. The Secadoria (new drying room) was completed and within the day, full of volunteers washing. Everybody is grateful to have a weatherproof area secure from monkeys to hang their washing to dry.

As reported last month, a great deal of moving of animals has taken place in the previous 10-12 weeks, which has had a huge impact on the new quarantine. Although visually it appears that progress has stalled, that is not entirely the case. Across the river, Douwe and Geiler have been hard at work constructing doors and windows. At last count there were eight windows and ten doors near ready. We don’t yet have anywhere to hang these doors, but it is still impressive to see the amount of work done, given all the ongoing general maintenance required for a project of this size.

 

Volunteers

This month the volunteers organized a quiz night one Saturday night. With four teams randomly selected and bragging rights up for grabs, enthusiasm was high! Douwe was dragged from a seldom empty family house to come and join the revelry, and we all had high hopes for him being on the winning team (because the boss should always win). Sadly, this was not the case and like his, many others’ hopes were crushed too. The winning team of “Three Tree Turkeys” won by a resounding two points and managed to rub salt into the wounds of everyone else for the next two days. We all look forward to a rematch!

April was a very hot month with very little rain except for the occasional storm. Nevertheless the high temperatures didn’t stop the volunteers from working hard to look after all the animals.

 

Monkeys

This month we had to say goodbye to Uma (female woolly monkey). She had been treated several times in the past few months for the parasite Prosthenorchis Elegans. Sadly her condition became worse and worse in the last few weeks and despite our best efforts we couldn’t save her. This is a very sad loss for everyone who worked so hard to give this monkey a second chance in the wild.

Despite the loss of Uma the rest of our monkey troop are doing well. At times like this we take comfort in watching these monkeys exploring the jungle and enjoying their newfound freedom. Like Uma nearly all of these monkeys were rescued from the illegal wildlife trade and later released back in to their natural habitat. Our team work tireless to give as many animals as possible this opportunity.

Nayro and Burbujas were moved to the Roko enclosure. This is the former home of our female and male night monkeys, Luna and Otis. However in truth Luna and Otis haven’t fully vacated as they are still using the front section of the enclosure to rest and eat from during the day. Despite this, the two capuchins Nayro and Burbujas seem to like their new home. Also the bond between them is growing stronger every day. These two boys really look out for each other!

Rimaq and Lucio (male Spider Monkeys) are both undergoing a long-term treatment against fungus. It has been diagnosed as ringworm, but these monkeys do not seem to mind the treatment one bit as now they receive some bread with jam (and medicine) every day.

 

  Other animals

Roxanna (young female peccary) recently moved to an enclosure with Kohana and Timo, one adult female and one adult male peccary. During the introduction we all held our breaths to see the reaction of Kohana, as the first encounters can get pretty rough with peccaries. Kohana directly showed interest and was following Roxanna around. Although the noises they initially made were a little concerning, it seemed to all go well. Kohanna followed Roxanna around, and although there was some rough teeth-clicking, Roxanna seemed to enjoy the company and did not run away. We are all relieved that it went well and happy to see the three of them peacefully living together.

Rafiki moved back to the clinic again. The macaws and parakeets moved out of the clinic, so we had more than enough space to move Rafiki in to a brand new bigger cage. He seems to be happy and he is taking huge steps towards recovery, thanks to physiotherapy treatment he is receiving.

We were lucky enough this month to say hello to an old friend once again. One night when a volunteer went to check if all the baby monkeys were sleeping safe in a tree, she saw something big and furry high up. Sure enough, it was Elmo! Elmo is a male two-toed sloth that we raised from small and released some years ago. It has been about 6 months since we last saw him. Seeing this released animal doing so well living in the wild, gives us all a huge pat on the back.

 

SUST Animal Orphan Hospital

This month we welcomed two new baby monkeys in to our care. The first one is a young male Tamarin named Tonka. He is currently staying at the clinic but is in very good health. He is gaining weight quickly and seems to be enjoying eating the crickets the volunteers catch for him. These crickets are a great source of protein for a growing Tamarin.

The second baby we welcomed is Armando (male howler monkey) and everyone is already completely captivated with him. The baby is about 3 months old, has a chocolate colored fur and big brown eyes. Howler monkeys have a very sensitive digestive system and are known to fall into a depressed state when separated from their mothers at a young age. With as this is mind we need to keep a close eye on this new arrival and so Armando is currently staying in the manager’s house under 24/7 supervision. The little guy is in very good condition but there is still has a long way to go to until he becomes a big howler male and can hopefully be released.

In the clinic, April was another month where birds were at the center of most of the work undertaken by our team. But thankfully this month was a lot calmer than the last, and the thousand of new birds have finally settled in. At the beginning of the month the birds were still suffering from a fungal infestation Aspergillus that damaged their respiratory system but after a few weeks the majority recovered well. Each day they grew in strength, thanks to the efforts of our team, an enriched diet, increased vitamins, and some anti-fungal treatment.

Overall it has been a tough time for everyone but it is beautiful to see that our hard work paying off and the birds slowly regaining their health and happiness. Such a large arrival of the birds was a big challenge for Esperanza Verde but thanks to everyone’s efforts and working together as a team, many of these birds will likely be released in to the wild once again!

 

Construction and other

Anyone fortunate enough to have been a volunteer at EV will appreciate the challenge of drying clothes in such a humid environment, and if you’re not battling the ever changing elements you are fending off the thieving monkeys.
Just outside the volunteer house, where the oldest animal enclosure (‘Casa’) was standing, a new facility is being built so clothes (human clothes as well as the famous ‘monkey’ clothes) can then be hung up to dry under a roof. To many this will seem a small thing but for those of us living in the rainforest it is a huge improvement! Sometimes we have to enrich the lives of the humans here…as well as the animals.

A lot of enclosure preparing happened this month. Tupak had to be prepared for the parakeets from the clinic and needed bigger feeding tables to feed more birds. Roko was prepared for the new inhabitants Nayro and Burbujas and their previous enclosure, Araña, was prepared for more parakeets from the clinic. A lot of moving and rebuilding was required to ensure all the animals have a comfortable and enriched habitat.

This month also saw us give something back to the local community. The children at the local school are increasing in number and as a result many had to share desks and sometimes even their chairs in the classroom. Thanks to several volunteers and friends who donated and little top-up from the EV fund, we donated 20 desks and chairs to the primary school in Bello Horizonte.

 

Volunteers and visitors

E.V. was happy to welcome some visitors this month. We were delighted to have several good friends of the managers visiting from Holland. With them we celebrated Easter, having a cozy brunch and, according to the tradition in Holland, a real egg hunt! After the search for the eggs we all ate together and enjoyed the many treats they had prepared for us. Chocolate, bread, pasta and potato salad … A lovely meal!

Since one of the visitors is a professional photographer, she also took her chance to take many pictures of all the animals we have here. She went along with some of the volunteers on their tours, making the most beautiful photos, of which many are accompanying this months’ update!

A few of the volunteers were this week lucky enough to join Machico (one of the workers) on a big walk through the jungle. Machico knows the forest like the back of his hand so this was an opportunity to share his knowledge about the forest with the volunteers and everyone loved it!

This March was another relatively dry month with unusually infrequent rain. Normally this would surprise us but this month we barely seemed to notice. Read on and you’ll find out why.

 

Monkeys

Unfortunately, Uma (female woolly monkey) isn’t doing very well. Our released woolly monkeys are all struggling with a parasite called ‘’Prosthenorchis Elegans’’. This parasite, carried by beetles living on the ground, attaches itself into the inner wall of the intestines. All our woolly monkeys have been treated with anti-parasite medication however currently there is no known cure for this parasite. Unfortunately re-infestation in the jungle is continuous, so any treatment never cures the problem. The other monkeys have responded well to a course of treatment but Uma appears to be very unwell and has lost nearly 30% of her body weight in the last twelve months. Uma is now in the Roko enclosure where we are able to monitor her progress more closely and ensure she is getting the best diet, medication and care we can provide. So far this has had positive results and Uma has gained just over 100 grams (4% of her current body weight) in the first seven days of treatment.

Sira (adult female night monkey) recovered well from the wounds she most likely received from another monkey. She returned for a few nights to her favourite resting spot however one day she wasn’t there and she was seen instead at the quarantine site. After that she was seen on one occasion during the night, before disappearing for good. We think she most likely has had enough of the other species of monkeys and has moved deeper into the jungle. We hope Sira is well and someday finds herself a mate out there in the wild.

 

Other animals

Mokwai and Rumani (Crab eating racoons) are taking their first steps into the wild. Over the last month we have seen them initially being walked by Douwe on a leash, and as they have become more comfortable, walking freely with Douwe and some of the volunteers. It is slow going but also very positive to see them out enjoying and experimenting in the unfamiliar territory that will one day be their home.

 

SUST Animal Orphan Hospital

If February wasn’t as frantic as previous months, March more than made up for it. Fortunately, Olivia was given a days’ notice that a thousand birds had been confiscated from a bus travelling to Lima to be sold on the local and international market for exotic pets. In just one afternoon, all the animals currently in the clinic needed to find new lodgings, and all clinic cages were thoroughly cleaned and set up to accommodate the new arrivals.

Roxanna (Collared peccary) was moved to the front cage of the Rincay enclosure, right next door to the two older peccaries (female Kohana, and male Timo). This move will allow them all to become familiar with one another prior to formal introductions. So far this seems to be going well and all three have made contact through the wire fence.

Jope (male agouti) and Dakiri (female agouti) were moved to the Pepito enclosure, where they joined Ringo and Rabito (red brocket deer) and Doquino (male agouti). Initial introductions saw Jope asserting his authority but as the days progressed all three agouti and the two deer appear to have accepted the new living arrangements and life is peaceful once again.

Nayro (baby male large headed capuchin) is growing up fast. This month he took the huge step of moving out of the clinic into an enclosure with the slightly older male Burbujas (large headed capuchin). The introduction was done step by step. At first, he started with short visits, staying for only a few hours at a time. As he became more confident the visits became longer. As they both got along so well, Nayro has now officially moved to Burbujas’ cage permanently. They both share one plate of food, and Nayro still gets his milk 3 times a day. This is a positive change for all; Burbujas has some company and Nayro has someone to look after him.

Although recovering well, Rafiki (Blue and yellow macaw) was still a resident at the clinic, as he still needs attention and care. So as not to put him at risk of infection or disease from any of the arriving birds and due to the lack of available enclosures, Rafiki was moved to the living areas of the Volunteer Accommodation. Rafiki is enjoying all the additional attention and has even been talking again. He hasn’t spoken since his fall earlier in the year, so this behavior suggests his condition has improved greatly. We are fortunate enough to have a veterinarian volunteer on site this month and she is undertaking some physiotherapy with Rafiki who appears to be responding well.

A long-term clinic resident Optimus (yellow footed tortoise) was found to have a wound on her chest. She is a tortoise with a missing leg and because of this, there was too much pressure on her chest. This pressure caused a crack at the bottom of her shell. Douwe thankfully was able to fix the crack, and now we await Optimus’ original injury on her front leg to heal. Once fit she will join some of the other tortoises in the Reptile enclosure.

 

New arrivals

796 white winged parakeets, 14 orange winged amazons and 11 blue and yellow macaws.
As the statistics would suggest this many birds at one time was a logistical nightmare…

Although a little daunted, our team took it all in their stride. The experience of the management team combined with the enthusiasm of every volunteer ensured all these birds were quickly assessed and settled into their new home. Every Amazon and Macaw was weighed, given a thorough health check and treated with anti-parasitic prior to being housed. These enclosures will be their home for the next six weeks during their quarantine period.

Unsurprisingly given the cramped conditions of transport there were 13 parakeets dead on arrival. The first few days of quarantine also saw many birds dying, on the worst day the count numbered 40.

There was a huge range of emotions felt by everybody involved on that initial evening – feelings and emotions that intensified over the weeks, and at times boiled over. It is hard to watch these once wild animals suffer and die, all because of the illegal wildlife trade. Animals you care for and share you body warmth with, which you are later forced to witness take its last breaths. Dealing with these scenes and the emotions that come with them are some of the hardest aspects of the work we do. Olivia and Douwe have been dealing with the scenes for nearly twenty years, but it is humbling to watch them at work. Their attention, care and compassion is still so very apparent with every single animal. Truly admirable!

All these Macaws and Amazons, 25 in total, had been removed from the nest at a very young age. Unfortunately they will need to remain resident at Esperanza Verde as they do not possess the necessary skills to be released. Thankfully in the case of the Parakeets we aim to get them healthy and strong enough to be released back into the wild. We hope that they will eventually integrate themselves with wild groups we have nearby.

During this quarantine period, a lack of suitable enclosures means that conditions are cramped and each day presents a new challenge. For now we all look forward to the minor victory of getting these animals into more spacious accommodation once the quarantine period is over. In the interim full credit goes to the entire team who are working tirelessly to ensure all animals at our rescue centre are getting the care and attention they deserve.

These times prove over and over again how valuable our work is and how important the volunteers are for Esperanza Verde. It is amazing how everybody pulls together to care for these animals, even if it means working late into the night and even giving up some of our human food! However hard we work, the harsh reality is that we cannot save them all. We knew that we would have some harsh weeks ahead of us, in labor as well as in emotions. For one person to have one parakeet as a pet, so many have to die. Sadly most people are ignorant to this fact and do not realize that their pet has cost so many other lives.

For anyone who would like to see how they were confiscated have a look at this link : http://www.actualidadambiental.pe/?p=54893

Without our devoted team of volunteers we would not have made it through this month. We would like to take this opportunity to say a very special thank you to the team of volunteers that was with us during this time: A huge thank you for all your hard work and devotion!

 

Construction

Where February saw the completion of the Elmo enclosure and great progress on the new quarantine, March demonstrated what can happen when we are forced to be reactive.

So much of this month has been lost to making cage modifications, moving animals as required, or just dealing with new issues as they arise, that progress has been slower than desired. However as the pictures show, perseverance pays off, and another layer of new bricks has been added to the walls of the quarantine.

Other minor upgrades are always necessary around the facility, such as new locking mechanisms in the Pepito enclosure. It seems the capuchin monkeys had again worked out the system and kept letting the deer and agouti into the front cage. Rather than secure the secondary gate with a wire, it has now been modified to require the monkeys to use two hands at the same time. This is working well so far and has already led to other gates being upgraded in a similar fashion.

Although rain has not been what we expect for this time of the year, paths within EV still require constant maintenance, and so stones were carried from the quebrada whenever we have spare (and willing) volunteers. Not an exciting point of construction, but still a vital task that takes up time in what often seems very short days.

February is traditionally the height of the rainy season. There have been impressive downpours, where views were obstructed and paths became nothing more than shallow rivers running throughout the project, but there were many fine days in between to lift the spirits and fortify the soul before the inevitable next rainfall.

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Monkeys

Darwin and Ramon (male red howler monkeys) are feeling the tough love at the moment. Howler monkeys have a low survival rate when separated from their parents at an early age, and so Darwin and Ramon were given extra attention by volunteers. When they first arrived the “no touch” policy was relaxed to allow extra care and to ensure the correct diet is observed. As Darwin and Ramon are now getting bigger it has been a gradual process of weaning them off the extra attention and now the “no touch” policy is being enforced. It is amusing to see their disgust at being ignored, but it is necessary to ensure their health and both theirs and volunteers’ safety, as they get bigger.

Camu, the young male spider monkey, and son of Cumala, has disappeared. He was a real character who was always pushing the boundaries and trying to get attention. At a little over 18 months it is normal behaviour for spider monkey young to become more independent and so it was not seen as weird for Camu to be away from his mother, Cumala, for long periods during the day. But one night he did not sleep with his mother, which was strange, and the next day he was absent from the monkey group. Extensive searching turned up no sign of Camu. At his age he should have been back with his mother at the end of the day. Being located in the jungle is a huge advantage. At Esperanza Verde many animals, especially the monkeys, learn to climb in the trees and encounter other members of their species for the first time, they have the freedom to form a group, and learn to forage for themselves. Unfortunately it also comes with certain risks, as it we can’t control all that happens in the forest.

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Other animals

 

The “Rincay” enclosure is now populated by ten of E.V’s largest yellow footed tortoises, who were recently moved from the reptile enclosure. It was also the perfect time for a health check, with all tortoises being weighed and given deparisitation. Interestingly Pepito is the largest tortoise onsite, but Martha tipped the scales and came in 210 grams heavier than him at 9780 grams. Pepito was happy to be back in his old enclosure again. Many will remember that he spent several years in this enclosure with his best friend Rincay the tapir, who sadly passed away in 2017.

 

Grety (female margay) benefitted from a relaxed “no touch” policy when she first arrived at EV. Given the unlikeliness of release, volunteers were encouraged to interact with her on a daily basis to provide enrichment. This interaction is still encouraged, but there is now a no direct contact policy in place. Grety’s feisty nature is shining through and injury prevention/volunteer safety is always our prime concern. Daily enrichment for Grety is very important to keep her active and lively, and is vital until we are able to finance and build a larger enclosure.

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SUST Animal Orphan Hospital

Thankfully February was not as frantic as the beginning of the year, with only one new arrival. Although new arrivals were lacking, a lot of ongoing health issues were addressed, be it deparisitation, botfly removal, ongoing veterinary care, as well as emergency operations.

 

Rafiki (Blue-and-yellow macaw) unfortunately took another fall this month and was experiencing limited movement is his limbs. He is now under intensive care at our veterinary clinic and is receiving physiotherapy for his legs. His disposition is improving daily.

 

Rubai (male opossum) and Cia (female opossum) are gaining weight. They are doing well in their outside enclosure and now share the space without any separations. Aeris (female opossum) had to be separated as she had the tip of her tail bitten off, whilst in a small cage with Cia. Aeris recovery went well and she has now been reintroduced to both Cia and Rubai in the larger enclosure. Soon they will outgrow this enclosure and will be moved to a larger and more remote enclosure, where we hope to be able to release them back into the wild.

Nayro (baby male capuchin monkey) is progressing well having already moved from his small cage into a larger enclosure in the clinic. Although still getting extra attention due to his age and size, Nayro’s independence is still shining through and is expected to join Burbujas in the outside enclosure “Arana” later this month.

Burbujas (young male monkey) has begun his rehabilitation moving him one step closer to the great outdoors. He recently was moved to the “Arana” enclosure, giving him the ability to mix with the other monkeys from within the security of an enclosure. As with Nayro, he is getting a great deal of attention from the capuchin females, Mica, Kres and Mayantu.

 

Dakiri (young female agouti) is currently still a clinic resident but there are plans to move her in the next few weeks. The plan is to introduce her slowly to Doquino, our male agouti, so she can later join him and the deer, Rabito and Ringo. When introducing any animal into a mixed environment it is essential to get the timing right. We cannot rush the rehabilitation process and try to plan for every eventuality.

Xiomara (female collared peccary) was recently released into the Xena enclosure with Timo (male adult peccary) and Kohana (female adult peccary). Every effort was made to ensure this introduction went well and the three pecarries had been separated by mesh for some time to familiarise with one another. Once Xiomara was released into the main enclosure the introduction appeared to be going well but after 4 days she was sadly fatally attacked by one of the others. Xiomara had been a favourite of many and we were all very sad to loose her. Her death is a stark reminder that despite our best preparations, animal behavior is unpredictable and we can never be sure that an introduction will be successful.

Inuk and Zasu (dusky headed parakeet) were released into the Tupak enclosure this month. For the first few days it was necessary to check in on the birds and to show Zasu where to eat. At times we made Zasu a separate bowl of food to ensure he was well fed whilst adapting to the new enclosure. Both birds have now adapted to the new living arrangements well. Although checks are still taking place, our direct intervention is no longer required.

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New arrivals

At thirteen months old, Jope (male agouti) was brought to our rescue centre as his owner felt he could no longer care for him. After a quarantine period and thorough deparisitation, we will have to decide where he will be kept. We hope he can be placed in the same enclosure as the other agoutis and deer, however many factors will influence this decision. The sex, age and the individuals behavior must all the considered.

Our permanent staff member, Geiler, found a small Amazon mud turtle, while working at his plantation. For fear of it being found by other people and being eaten, he brought it to us. After a short medical check, we released it on the land owned by Esperanza Verde, giving it a better change of survival.

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Construction

February has been a fabulous month for construction.

The Elmo enclosure has been completed, and at over 90m2 it is one of the largest enclosures onsite. This amazing feat would not have been possible without LUSH Cosmetics, who generously funded this new facility.

At 60m2 the new dedicated quarantine building is a major undertaking. This project was only possible by the generous donation of the Dutch foundation “Jaap van de Graaf”. This project has progressed in leaps and bounds this month. The walls are gaining height each day as row upon row of bricks are laid and the new drainage on the outside of the building was also completed. Every opportunity is being taken to utilise any spare volunteers or workers and this is paying off.

Modifications were made to the water supply this month with Douwe improving on what was already an impressive achievement. Cement lids were made and carried up to the collection point to stop the build up of mud that collects and blocks the water intake when there are substantial heavy rains.

February has been a big month for planting, with over 500 native hardwood trees being planted around the extremities of Esperanza Verde. Anybody who has had the pleasure of doing this will appreciate the amount of work and effort that goes into reforestation of this beautiful paradise.

January started in a similar fashion to the way December ended, with all volunteers and the family gathering together to see in the new year. A bonfire at the volunteer house, burning effigies, fireworks across the river, great food and great company meant a fantastic time was had by all. Work life balance is so important, and celebrating the new year with new friends was the perfect way to equalize the scales.

 

Monkeys

Loki, Martin, Monano and Moyo (male woolly monkeys) released in November are now well and truly comfortable in their new outside surroundings. Loki true to his namesake, is the trickster. Constantly trying to grab attention from volunteers as well as the occasional pounce to see if the newest volunteers have their wits about them. Never a dull day at Esperanza Verde with so many characters to deal with. The other three males released are always present and interact well in the group of monkeys within the direct vicinity.

Khali (male large headed capuchin) who was a familiar face to any volunteer in the last twelve months, hasn’t been seen since the beginning of the year. It is believed he may have been pushed out of the group by one of the wild males, being either Macu, the alpha who has been with us for more than a year now, or the newer big male. We can only hope for the best. We just hope he did not get hurt and will be able to find another group to join. Esperanza Verde gives every animal onsite the best opportunity for a second chance, but there is no denying nature and the course it can take.

 

Other animals

Parakeets. To secure the parakeets from outside interference (the monkeys!) Douwe mounted electrified wires around the top of the enclosure and at several points along the walls. When birds are illegally trafficked their feathers are cut and wings often damaged. This makes them increasingly vulnerable while they recover as the only method of gaining altitude is by climbing the sides of the enclosures, where they can be targeted by outside living animals. We hope these new measures will allow the parakeets to rehabilitate in peace. The majority of them are not able to fly yet, however six parakeets from this group have already been released back into the wild.

Yellow footed tortoises are all doing well with plans to move a portion of the group to give them all more room to roam. We currently have 28 in one enclosure and although not crowded, more space is always of benefit. 10 will be chosen (including Pepito, our most senior tortoise) to live in the Rincay enclosure.

 

Grety (female margay) is fast becoming one of the favorites of the resident animals. Although the “No Touch” policy applies to many of the animals at EV, it is encouraged to spend time with Grety and enrich her each day (hardly a chore). She can likely never be released, as she is already used to the experience of petting from being kept as a pet prior to arriving at EV. Currently Grety is only 2.3 kilograms, the size of a large domestic cat, but it may get interesting in the future as her species can grow to 9 kilograms.

 

SUST Animal Orphan Hospital

January has proven to be a busy month in the clinic with two new capuchin monkeys, two peccaries, two parakeets and an agouti joining the ranks of animals getting a second chance at our rescue centre. Needless to say, the clinic volunteers have been on the top of their game and done themselves and the team proud!

Mokwai and Rumani (crab-eating raccoons), were moved out and are now permanent residents in the La Sapa cage. Their feet and eyes have healed nicely. Feeding is still being supplemented with milk but they are eating lots of snails, small fish and solids too.

Rubai (male opossum) moved in his smaller enclosure to an outside cage. He was joined this month by Cia and Aeris (female opossums) in a separate cage within the larger enclosure. These two opossums were under Kayla’s care at the family house. After some weeks sniffing each other out through the mesh, Rubai, Cia and Aeris were weighed and were introduced to one another in the clinic under watchful eyes. Once we were satisfied that they had become friends, they were let out together to roam in the bigger enclosure, but with the option to go back in to the safety of their own small cages and sleeping boxes. They got along well rather quickly, especially as they are solitary creatures in the wild. However as they are still young we hope they can stick together for a bit longer so we can slowly get them ready for a possible release.

Community outreach. Being fortunate enough to have both a veterinarian and a veterinary nurse in the volunteer group at one time was an opportunity not to be missed and so a day was spent in Bello Horizonte Spaying and Neutering dogs.

 

New arrivals

Nayro (baby male capuchin monkey). Nayro was approximately ten weeks old and was only 580 grams when one of our volunteers convinced a local that Esperanza Verde was the way to go to give him the best chance of a natural life. He adapted very quickly and with his already independent character, he is living during the day in a small cage in the clinic. He only needs some minor attention from us, while he is being visited frequently by three capuchin females on the outside, Mica, Kres and Mayantu.

Burbujas (young male capuchin monkey). It is heartwarming when you see the effort people make when it comes to doing the right thing for an animal, with one person driving over 14 hours from another region in Peru with Burbujas to meet Olivia in Pucallpa. He is approximately ten months old and after his quarantine period, he will stay for some time in an outside cage, so he can have safe contact with the outside monkeys before joining them.
Esperanza Verde volunteers often stand out when visiting Curimana (the nearest city with internet), and this was the case when one was offered Dakiri (a young female agouti). A short visit from Douwe was all it took to uplift and bring this energetic ball of nerves back to the clinic for her quarantine period. Later we hope she will join Ringo, Rabito (male red brocket deer) and Doquino (male agouti). In the meantime, she is being looked after in the clinic and so long as nobody moves too quickly she is settling in nicely.

Roxanna and Xiomara (female collared peccary) both arrived within a week of each other under varying circumstances. Roxanna is four months old weighing 3.6 kg and was found alone in a neighboring plantation. She was kept as a pet briefly before she was delivered to EV one Saturday morning. Meanwhile Xiomara is seven months old and nearing 14 kg. Xiomara had been acquired by a family in Curimana whilst she still had an umbilical cord attached. After many months of being hand fed and being part of the home consisting of parents, two children and at least three dogs, she was brought to Esperanza Verde. There was obvious love shared amongst this family unit, and it took a huge amount of strength to make the right decision for Xiomara and bring her to us. While in quarantine Xiomara is getting a lot of extra attention from the volunteers and will no doubt flourish when released along with Roxanna into an outside enclosure.

Inuk and Zasu (dusky headed parakeet) both came from neighboring Bello Horizonte. Zasu was found in a nest after a tree had been cut down and is showing great progress as the photos illustrate. Zasu has gone from a semi naked bird of 60 grams to a strapping almost fully feathered bird of over 110 grams in less than a month. Although still being hand reared his meals are being drawn out giving him a nudge in the right direction to start feeding himself. Inuk being a fledgling was found on the ground and unfortunately only came to us after people already had cut his feathers. He is eating well and although jealous of his cage mate being hand fed, he will no doubt join the other parakeets in Tupak in the coming weeks.

 

Construction

January is officially part of the rainy season, and although the last two weeks showed shades of what is normally expected, a particularly dry start to the month meant that the water tanks had to be topped up by pumping water from the river. This is a great reminder of just another thing we all take for granted! The dry weather has allowed good progress to be made on current construction projects as well as maintenance and upgrades across the centre. Over 300 sand bags have been collected, filled and carried to the construction site. As the vital component in cement, this was a task that was approached with surprising enthusiasm and was made so much easier by the earth being dry underfoot. No time has been wasted in putting it to good use with layer upon layer of new brick going in to the new quarantine at every available opportunity. The busy month in the clinic also highlighted the necessity of this seperate quarantine facility and what an asset this new building will be when it is up and running!
Continuing efforts are being made to place new mesh on the windows, especially with the dreaded mosquitoes swelling their ranks in anticipation of the upcoming (or is that current) rainy season.

December is always a month of celebrations. As we have a Dutch family running the place, we got to celebrate the birthday of San Nicolaas at the beginning of December. With poems and treasure hunts it resulted in a really fun night full of laughter, gifts, food and drinks.
On the 25th of December all the volunteers and all of the workers and their families were invited to the family’s house to celebrate Christmas, with a great dinner and some wine. Kayla put a lot of effort into the decorations, the menu and the cooking. It was a great evening.

 

Monkeys

Last month we released Loki, Martin, Monano and Moyo (male woolly monkeys). They all seem to be doing really well finding their way to the monkey tables and are spending a lot of time in the trees. For a monkey that had been raised in a household in Lima, Moyo, is doing amazingly well. So far he does not want any contact with us; neither does he try to get into our houses. Loki on the other hand is trying to get a lot of attention, especially from new volunteers, by touching them and trying to ‘play’. As we want him to be able to live freely around the center we need to teach him that he should leave us be and stick to his own species. When he is older, with his canines fully emerged, we will need to be able to walk around without him trying to dominate humans as the alpha woolly. This is one of the reasons why it is so important for our volunteers and other staff members to stick strictly to the no-touch policy. By following these rules the chances are greater that Loki will develop natural behaviour patterns and spend more time up in the trees with the other monkeys, which is safer for us and healthier for him.

Baby news

It seems that Capuchin Alpha-male Macu is doing very well in passing his genes. With both Nikita and Lia giving birth recently. Nikita’s baby (large headed capuchin) was growing up beautifully, although often without her mother, as Rioma (another but younger and more dominant capuchin female) often takes possession of the young. The baby, was already moving about on its own. Unfortunately the day after Christmas we saw Nikita walking around with her dead baby in her arms. Capuchin females are known for doing this, carrying their dead baby around for a day or two. Nikita never comes close to us, so we have not been able to see what happened to the baby. She carried it around for a half a day more and then probably let it go somewhere in the forest.

 

Other animals

Natasha, the baby bat which we took care of for several months, unfortunately died in an attack of what was most likely a rat. She was just recently moved to a bigger cage to start her fly-training. The rat was able pull her wing through the mesh and bite her. We are really sad that we lost her.
The yellow footed tortoises are all doing fine, and there has lately been a lot of mating activity in the reptile enclosure. The monkeys got their hands on an egg, which we quickly recoveted and have now safely in the clinic. Let’s see if it is still viable…it will take some time as tortoises are inherently slow.
Ringo, Rabito (male red brocket deer) and Doquino (male agouti) are all doing great. It is for many their favorite part of the resident tour, as they are always happy to see you coming. And of course there will always be a monkey around to steal some of their nice veggies.
Let’s not forget our two resident female and male peccaries, Kohana and Timo. Since they moved back into their old enclosure again there have not been any mishaps with monkeys, and they are enjoying a scratch once in a while from the volunteers. They love being scratched by a stick!

 

SUST Animal Orphan Hospital

Last week two people from a nearby village came by to ask us if we could take care of Grety (margay, around 6 months old). They found her near their plantation and kept her as a pet for five months. She became too expensive (always needing chicken) so they decided to bring her to us. We showed them around Esperanza Verde and explained the importance of our work. Now Grety is in the SUST Animal Orphan Hospital where she is being taken good care of. She looks healthy, a bit skinny and she needs some brushing. She cannot be released in the future so she will be one of the residential animals at Esperanza Verde. That is why, next to feeding and caring, we also put a lot of effort in giving her a lot of enrichment.
Mokwai and Rumani, the crab-eating raccoons, are doing good. Some small problems with their eyes and paws means that they need to stay in the SUST Animal Orphan Hospital for a while but they now spend some time outside as well. During the day they are staying at the La Sapa cage where they seem to enjoy being outside exploring. They have also started eating little snails alongside their normal food and milk.
Rubai (young opossum) moved into another enclosure at the SUST Animal Orphan Hospital. Because he has Guiardia we cannot reunite him with the other opossums yet, but in the near future all opossums will move into the Arana cage. In the meanwhile, Rubai seems to enjoy his new enclosure very much.

 

Construction

Construction is not only about building new enclosures, but also about maintenance of existing buildings. This month a lot of effort was put in replacing the mesh at the volunteers’ house and kitchen, painting the walls of the SUST Animal Orphan Hospital and making sure everything works as it should. Of course the work at the quarantine and Elmo-cage are gradually moving forwards too.

 

Enrichment

Last month we had some great enrichment projects again, such as a swing for the parakeets, all sorts of different food games for the parrots and hide and seek with food for the spider monkeys. We put a lot of effort in creating enrichment for the resident animals and the birds. The reason for this is that we want to make sure they get challenged enough and live a happy life. They enjoy this enrichment a lot and it is something we are continually focusing on.