Happy New Year!
Whether you’re into Saint Nicholas and his Pieten, Santa and the elves, or something else, we’re celebrating it all here in the jungle! This month has kept us on our toes, with both animals and humans leaving their nests.
Animals
After a month in the Araña enclosure, Meeko (juvenile male capuchin) and Sumika (the cautious monk saki monkey) finally got a chance to explore the outdoors. Well, sort of. Sumika is taking her time—she’s getting closer to the exit every day but hasn’t quite crossed the threshold. Meanwhile, Meeko is living it up with the outside white-fronted capuchins and sneaking back inside for snacks. We’re hoping his adventures will convince Sumika to join him soon!
Speaking of animals on the move, we had our annual Tortoise Hunt this month! Volunteers had a blast (and some mud stains) as they navigated the Reptiles’ enclosure, almost taking a swim in the pond while collecting our 16 tortoises for their yearly check-up. Our team even gave them a quick deworming treatment before sending them back to their slow-paced lives in the enclosure.
Susy Utzinger Orphan Animal Hospital
In the clinic, Moyo, the adult woolly monkey everyone loves, is doing great! He ate well and gained weight, and he’s now back out enjoying the fresh air. It’s a real treat to see him swinging in the trees again.
Naka, one of our resident female woolly monkeys, was found very weak outside. We quickly brought her in and set up a cozy space in the small enclosure next to the family house, where Olivia could feed her special mixes and monitor her temperature and heartbeat —sometimes up to 6 times a day. Luckily, our vet friend Philipp was there to assist with the diagnostics, reaching out to specialists for advice. After battling a parasite infestation and suffering a miscarriage, Naka was drained, but with the whole team supporting her, she made a full recovery. Six weeks later, she was strong enough to rejoin her furry friends outside. A big thank you to everyone who helped her get there.
Basco, our male capybara, had a rough week—he stopped eating, had some serious tummy troubles, and lost a lot of weight. But after some much-needed fluids and treatment, he’s bouncing back! He’s eating like he’s never seen food before (which, honestly, is a great sign). As Arthur says in French, “When appetite is good, everything is good.”
Kelso, our male two-fingered sloth, was diagnosed with scabies, a nasty skin parasite. He’s getting treatment and enjoying some soothing hair washes with Olivia and Douwe on Mondays. Kelso’s not thrilled about it, but sweet potato makes everything better, right?
Quarantine
Lamber, the young male armadillo, and Saphira, the young female sloth, have officially left the family house. They’ve each moved into their own little slice of paradise in the Tika enclosure, which is divided in two. The best part? They’re both night owls, so their feeding schedules now align—making Joëlle and Charlie’s (volunteers) lives a little bit easier. The house is definitely calmer now… but, Marlon, we’re watching you. You might be next!
A new face has joined the cabaña—Tamango, a wild baby agouti. Found alone in a nearby plantation and brought to us by a group of kids, Tamango now has his own room and is living the good life with Arthur. He’s eating his veggies, almost potty-trained, and (mostly) refrains from late-night leaf-throwing. Arthur’s enjoying his parenting gig— almost seems like Olivia and Douwe are trying to make him stay…
We also had a productive day chipping the Amazons in Quarantine—an educational experience for our vet students, who got to learn directly from Douwe and Olivia. Our 3 tortoises, Jeep, Opel, and Chevrolet, also cruised out (slowly, but surely) and are now living it up in the Momo enclosure.
Volunteer life & others
December was a whirlwind for our human crew—festivities, arrivals, departures, and plenty of good times! With special guests Philipp and Vali, many have been able to enjoy some good night-walks in the jungle guided by Dr. Philipp!
We kicked things off with Saint Nicholas, a Dutch tradition that the family brought to the jungle. The game? Draw someone’s name, write a funny poem, create a treasure hunt, build a puzzle, or even get them to taste some extremely spicy chili sauces (Douwe’s still recovering from Marlon’s “great” idea…). It’s not just about the presents—it’s all about the fun and the effort behind it.
We also had to say goodbye to several amazing volunteers this month. Thankfully, a big group joined just in time, so we’re in good hands moving forward.
It’s bittersweet to say farewell to our vet, Lucie, who handled some tough cases with professionalism and grace. We’re so grateful for all her hard work. Stepping in to take over some responsibilities are Britta and Lucie, both vet student from the Netherlands.
Finally, we celebrated Christmas in style! It was also the perfect occasion to say goodbye to our amazing assistant manager, Arthur, who’s leaving after nearly two years of being our rock. A huge thank you to Arthur for everything—you’ve been an incredible support, and we’re truly grateful for all you’ve done. Joëlle has already stepped into the role and is doing an amazing job. We’re in great hands as we look forward to another year at Esperanza Verde.