It was a month of new animals, new beginnings for recently released animals, new energy from fresh new volunteers and even a change of season which saw the almost drought like conditions finally break. The often-frantic pace of Esperanza Verde continued throughout the month, read on to see how we kept ourselves occupied in October.

Animals

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Moyo (adult male Humboldt’s woolly monkey) had the month enjoying a lot of interest from the outside group of monkeys, but also got new company within Lulu enclosure. Panchin the young male woolly monkey who arrived last month, moved from the SUSTOAH (clinic) to enjoy Moyo’s company. Initially neither monkey seemed happy with the introduction, Moyo was uninterested and Panchin screaming and getting as far away from Moyo as possible, yet after just a few days both monkeys could be seen sleeping together or sheltering from the rain. After a few weeks Panchin was released to the outside world where a great deal of curiosity was shown by Cesar the juvenile male spider monkey who took Panchin under his arm and showed him the ‘ropes’. It is a gorgeous sight to see two young monkeys bonding so easily, and if Panchin is not directly enjoying the company of Cesar he is actively mixing with the other young woolly monkeys. Panchin initially spent the days outside playing and returned to the safety and familiarity of Lulu enclosure in the evenings, but is now a permanent semi released monkey.

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Another monkey joining Moyo and Panchin within Lulu enclosure was Darwin, our young adult male Jurua red howler monkey. Darwin, along with all the other animals are needing to adapt to the excitement of having unfamiliar and new people around after the better part of a year with very few new faces. Darwin hasn’t handled the transition so well and in conjunction with a seemingly coming of age showed too much exuberance to one of our new volunteers resulting to a bite to her ankle. Douwe (alpha male primate second only to Olivia 😉) was on hand to intervene but Darwin’s normal playful demeanour had a more determined nature. Darwin is currently residing with Moyo while Olivia investigates further and corresponds with other animal rescue centres on the best way to deal with an amorous adult male howler monkey.

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Back in May, along with many other animals received from the ministry that month was a young spectacled caiman. After his transitory stay in Aguatena and having put on sufficient size the time had come to release him back into nature. All the volunteers were present for the release which is always an exciting moment seeing yet another beautiful creature being released into a natural habitat.

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After his brief stay in Pepe enclosure enjoying the best fare available. Otis, the Ma’s night monkey was released and was quick to resume his daily ritual of hanging about the volunteer house. Otis’ weight will be monitored over the coming weeks to ensure his weight and health is consistent.

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Takido our newest crab eating raccoon is progressing in leaps and bounds (quite literally) with his weight and independence improving constantly. Takido moved into the more spacious Pepe enclosure and is making the progression to solid foods. Fresh fish certainly appears to be a new favourite. Takido will now stay in Pepe enclosure until he is of a size sufficient to be released. In the interim he is being taken for regular evening walks by volunteers to familiarise himself with his new home.

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Bronco, the male capybara has settled well into the Momo enclosure and is lavishing in the attention on offer from anyone with five minutes to spare. The fact that he has spent most of his life as a pet and is unable to be released means that our strict “No Touch” policy will not apply in this case. It is difficult to see who enjoys the “petting” more, but the noises Bronco makes suggests he is definitely enjoying it.

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October was also the month where we received a visit of the governmental organisation, OSINFOR. This agency is responsible for overviewing and checking that all animal centres (including zoos) animal are following the law to the book, often involving a lot of bureaucracy, but a necessity as the illegal trade in animal is unfortunately one of the biggest markets in the world.

The visit went smoothly, some suggestions were made, but yet again we think Esperanza Verde passed with flying colours.

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Babies are always exciting, and more so when they are from animals that have a history within Esperanza Verde. Telling individual capuchin monkeys apart is a skill that does not come easily for all, yet nearly any volunteer over the previous five years could name Nera from her behaviour and demeanour. All eyes were on her over the last few weeks as it became blatantly obvious that Nera was pregnant, and as the month came to a close, we celebrated the successful arrival of another healthy baby capuchin.

SUST Animal Orphan Hospital

After a few months of the SUSTOAH being added to other feeding tours, this month saw us needing and having the opportunity to yet again have a dedicated volunteer on hand at all times. A full house with new arrivals and ongoing treatment meant that there was never a dull moment.

Dakiri, one of our resident female agoutis, spent a few days in the clinic after she was seen with a massive lump on her side. Being one of the less tame agoutis meant that both Olivia and Douwe had to be on their “A” game and after a few near misses Dakiri was in a bag and transported to the SUSTOAH for closer inspection.

The lump was found to be a large boil and after rather dramatically removing the fluid and thoroughly cleaning the wound Dakiri was kept in the clinic for observation for a few days before being released into Pepito enclosure. The major concern with this procedure is the shear stress of the situation can be enough to kill an animal of this type meaning feeding and cleaning regimes were changed to ensure the most comfortable stay possible. Dakiri quickly recovered and was brought back to her outside enclosure to settle once again into her standard routine, often the last to be seen feeding ensuring to be free from harassment from any of the other agoutis.

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Martin, a juvenile male Humboldts woolly monkey is spending some time residing in the SUSTOAH after it became apparent that he was losing weight and his normal condition was deteriorating. After stool sampling it was discovered Martin had both Prosthenorchis Elegans and giardia. Necessary treatment was administered and Martin will remain until he has the all clear.

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Martin was joined by Lupa, an adult female Humboldts woolly monkeyafter just a few days. Lupa unfortunately experienced a still birth and both her behaviour and mobility was not as good as it previously was. Lupa is receiving treatment as well as extra vitamins and like Martin is sure to benefit from the extra attention.

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And as there were not already sufficient woollies with health issues, we found Yauri, a young male who was released to semi-captivity some months ago, outside laying on the floor with a high fever. We decided quickly to take him in, and started treatment in the clinic.

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After her previous stay in the SUSTOAH Delta the orange winged amazon parrot’s weight was being monitored weekly. Although there are no apparent health issues Delta continues to lose weight while in the Igor enclosure. She now returns to the clinic joining Berta one of last month’s new arrivals for some personal time and a controlled diet ensuring she is getting the best care possible. If the new vocalisations are anything to go by one could suggest Delta appreciates the attention.

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We had a visit towards the end of the month from the ministry, but from a different location to our normal avenue of new arrivals. With them came two new young male spider monkeys of 3 months, named Miyo, and Ashuke of 12 months respectively and Rasu, a young large headed capuchin male of 5 months. Both older monkeys are enjoying each other’s company, whereas the smaller spider monkey is in a small cage and where possible is being ‘mothered’ by whoever is fortunate enough to be working in the SUSTOAH on any given day. All monkeys were formally being kept as pets or in the case of the capuchin seized prior to being sold.

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Two new yellow footed tortoises were left to us from the nearby village of Bello Horizonte. Often it is due to concern for their well-being that people hand over tortoises as they are still a welcome addition to local dinner tables. After a brief stay to ensure there are no ongoing health issues, both tortoises will be released into the relative safety of the small creek that runs through the centre of Esperanza Verde.

Construction

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While making a start with a new temporary enclosure for Wayra and Gaia, the two young ocelots, the focus is also on several necessary maintenance job. Geyler is now beginning to take over from Douwe, taking charge of the construction, as well as general maintenance. Together with two new workers, the reptile enclosure will be upgraded from wooden posts to metal and fencing where needed will be renewed.

We also got to see a lot more of Machico this month who normally spends most of his days at Finca Don Jorge. Machico spent the majority of the month cleaning the boundaries, around the new plantings and the plantations at Esperanza Verde. This is a task he undertakes at least four times a year and is invaluable piece of ongoing maintenance.

Volunteers and other

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This month we were happy to welcome 4 new volunteers with some staying for 3 months. Not only is their presence appreciated to assist with the daily running of Esperanza Verde, it is a welcome change to have fresh ideas and fresh eyes seeing enrichment and enclosures in a different light.

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October is also a big month for birthdays at Esperanza Verde. Marlon turned the big 12 and celebrated in true style with a party at home including friends, family and volunteers. Needless to say, plenty of sugar was consumed and everyone had a great night.

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Olivia our matriarch also celebrated her birthday turning the absolute milestone of 50!

As a surprise, her oldest brother and two of her best friends flew from Holland to surprise Olivia, arriving a few days prior to the big day. And although it is often hard to keep something from her, Douwe, Kayla and all here at EV, did a great job at keeping her in the dark. She literally could not believe her eyes at the moment they arrived. It was a happy gathering and needless to say, it was a great opportunity for catching up and making up for times lost to the world being in lock down. Inevitably they were happy to join us all and help us in the daily choirs at Esperanza Verde, a never ending operation.

The birthday celebrations started with lunch at Finca Don Jorge, then a change of venue and pace to the family house, to include the volunteers joining in the revelry, dancing and celebrating in true Esperanza style. Party time!

It is always remarkable how much can be achieved with such few volunteers. Although we were not fortunate enough to welcome any new volunteers in September, we did manage to accept more animals from the ministry of Flora and fauna. Read on to see what some of the existing residents have been up to and who will soon be joining their ranks after initial health assessment and quarantine.

Animals

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Last month we talked about Dilana, a juvenile female Spix´’s white fronted capuchin monkey and Maloha, a young female Humboldt’s woolly monkey moving to Pepe enclosure. This stay was short lived and as the month started the door was opened to allow both monkeys the chance to experience the greater space available to them in semi-captivity. Both monkeys were apprehensive to enjoy the freedom on offer, and, although a few inquisitive spider monkeys joined them briefly in their enclosure, our first attempt to entice them outside was unsuccessful. Releasing any animal can be a testing time and is not something that is left to chance. As there was nobody available to observe the monkeys we waited until the next day to try again. Although both monkeys had initial reservations, as the month came to a close Dilana and Maloha had adapted well to their newfound freedom with Maloha often seen playing with the other monkeys of our woolly monkey troop and Dilana regularly seen in the company of Nando and the recently released Kiano (both males of the same species as Dilana) or interacting with one of the many other juvenile monkeys.

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After spending a little over a month in the SUST Orphan Animal Clinic, Moyo (adult male Humboldts woolly monkey) moved into Lulu enclosure to enjoy the option of more sun and fresh air. Another benefit of the move has been that Moyo is now able to directly socialise with so many more of the other woolly monkeys through the mesh of the enclosure. The Lulu enclosure roof now is becoming a congregation place for eight or nine woolly monkeys at a time. At his final weight check for the month Moyo had gained a massive 15% on his previous weight in the clinic. His newly grown fur has a beautiful shine to it showing how much his health has improved.

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You might remember another monkey suffering from the effects of Prosthenorchis Elegans a few months ago; Yanamayo. This large headed capuchin male had lost virtually all his hair and looked to be wasting away. Yanamayo now looks like a new monkey with his hair growing back incredibly and being of a more realistic stature as expected. While in the SUSTOAH Yanamayo was approachable and easy to deal with and now his behaviour has also returned to slightly more troublesome as you would anticipate from a capuchin monkey raised by humans. Although it has been at times painful to see any animal go through this discomfort, it is so rewarding in seeing a remarkable recovery such as this.

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Our numbers were briefly bolstered with Marlon taking the lead for a traditional volunteer favourite that occurred again this month with all of the yellow footed tortoises in our reptile enclosure being captured for a general check-up and deparasitation. The reptile enclosure is another construction suffering from the ever-present humidity and in need of some maintenance. Therefore, it was necessary to catch and count the tortoises to see if all were present and accounted for. All tortoises were then moved to the Xena enclosure where they can safely enjoy all the regrowth that is present in an enclosure that has been uninhabited for a majority of the year after our peccary group was moved the purpose built Noroc enclosure.

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For some they were a tour highlight, interacting directly and lavishing attention. For others (prior to enclosure modifications) a gauntlet to be ventured into with caution and reverie, dodging a sometimes well-timed swing of small but intimidating antlers. Regardless of your feelings of being directly in an enclosure with them, it was a sad day when Kayla found Rabito (Red brocket deer) laying prone and being unresponsive to the food on offer. Douwe ensured Rabito was hydrated and made inquiries with our national and international team of veterinarians as to possible causes and treatments. Rabito’s demise was swift and on further investigation he was found to have died from internal intestinalbleeding, which we surmised to have been caused by his overenthusiastic enclosure companion Ringo. This deduction proved incorrect as less than a week later we fare welled Ringo who also succumbed to internal intestinal bleeding. After excluding food items as an issue, an inconclusive necropsy and further consultation internationally, we believe a virus or bacteria may have been the cause of this untimely passing for both deer.

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Otis, one of our more senior Ma´s night monkeys was seen one morning investigating volunteer movements. While not completely out of character for a nocturnal monkey, it was a great opportunity to catch him for general health and weight check. It was immediately evident that Otis had lost a great deal of weight in the previous few months. Without any health issues evident, Otis is now spending some time in Pepe enclosure where he is enjoying the best diet available while he gains back some of his former condition and size.

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SUST Animal Orphan Hospital

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Nando the male Spix´ white fronted capuchin monkey had a brief stay in the clinic with a wound on his knee. It wasn’t troubling him and appeared uninfected, but due to its location it was being reopened daily while staying outside. Nando is a very active social monkey never far from ‘trouble’, so the intention of his stay was to give him some quiet time to recuperate. It can be interesting to observe the change in behaviour of some animals when their freedom is taken from them. Within days Nando went from a content monkey to one bent on destroying anything in his enclosure, be it enrichment, branches for climbing on, or even the box offered as sleeping quarters. Nando was released back to the outside world after his short time inside and although the wound on his knee is still apparent it is healing and has not dampened his spirits. He can be seen the entire the day interacting and playing throughout Esperanza Verde.

The ministry of Flora and Fauna visited again this month and with them they brought enough animals to fill the SUSTOAH to capacity. Normally these animals would go to our new purpose-built quarantine but with such limited volunteer numbers the SUSTOAH is utilised to its full potential ensuring full animal care with the least disruption to essential daily routines.

Joining Esperanza Verde this month:

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• An Orange winged Amazon parrot, Berto, with its wing feathers dramatically cut. It will have a few more weeks in quarantine ensuring it is unlikely to create any health issues with existing birds before being introduced to a larger enclosure.

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• A young male woolly monkey, Panchin, who has been a pet for about a year and certainly is very vocal in demonstrating he isn’t getting the personal attention he has become accustomed to. He will learn soon enough from our resident woolly monkey group, that he is one of a kind…

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• A baby black eared opossum of only 3 weeks of age. As he is very young, this opossum will spend the next few months in the SUSTOAH until he is large enough to be released.

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• A male capybara about a year old, Bronco. Already this wee man weighs 13 kg, and can grow to be 60 kg plus. After a short stay in the SUSTOAH he moved to the Momo enclosure that surrounds the assistant managers residence. Bronco has been a pet for most of his life and unfortunately can never be released. He won’t have the necessary skills to survive in the wild whereas in Momo enclosure he will get more personal attention and as well as his own pond to reside in, till it is time to move him to a bigger enclosure.

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• A small yellow footed tortoise, which was on its way to enter a plane to Lima. We hope we will be able to release him as soon as he passed his quarantine time.

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• A very small yellow spotted river turtle. Both the tortoise and turtle are short term visitors, and after a clean bill of health will be released into the relative safety of the selva dormida.

Construction and other

Douwe, Geyler and the small team of workers at their disposal directly spend the better part of two days every week ensuring volunteers and animals alike have sufficient food. It is frequently an unsung task, yet one they undertake every week without complaint, regardless of the occasionally relentless heat or similarly unyielding humidity. It involves harvesting bananas, papaya, yuka, among others, and carry them all to the bodega.

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The loss of almost two days every week doesn’t seem to curb the enthusiasm or the ability to complete other tasks as they come to hand. September saw not just one room receiving a new cement floor in the volunteer house, but also the living area got a spruce up along with the necessary new cement floor. This was the last piece of the puzzle. Over the previous few months the entire volunteer house has received a new floor, replacement piles and a general tidy making it a fantastic revitalised home away from home for new volunteers.

Change is inevitable and this is certainly the case at Esperanza Verde, it keeps us on our feet and days are never boring. August saw volunteer numbers dropping dramatically as the effects of Covid on travelling to Peru remain in place. With all of the practice of having reduced volunteers over the last year, the team was up to the challenge and adapted as necessary. Travel restrictions are getting more flexible now so if you have some time to offer and feel like visiting (or revisiting!) Esperanza Verde to experience animal care and rescue first hand in the middle of the rainforest; we, and the animals need you!

Animals

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It was that time again where all the white winged parakeets in Tupak enclosure needed catching, assessing, a quick parasite treatment and then, where possible, the ultimate outcome of being released. Of the remaining 21 birds from our last big delivery of seized birds, 14 were deemed to have the necessary flight capabilities to return to the great outdoors and life as it is intended. It is truly humbling every day to hear parakeets flying free around Esperanza Verde knowing that they were fortunate enough to have been given a second chance.

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It was time for Wayra, the young female ocelot, to become more comfortable with different surroundings. Being a wild animal, even though young, she quickly was outgrowing the territory of the family house. We brought her to spend the days in the Pedro enclosure, formerly used by Grety and Diego, our two margays. For the evenings she returned to the family home, progressing to her permanent residence in Pedro. As she is unable to be released and is still young, the Esperanza Verde no touch policy has been relaxed ensuring this transition for Wayra is as stress free as possible, in turn giving volunteers a chance for more personal contact with what is a truly beautiful animal. As Wayra becomes more accustomed to her surroundings the no touch policy will come to the fore again ensuring both animal and volunteer wellbeing and safety, as a fully grown ocelot can become very tricky to deal with. Read on for one more reason why it is essential Wayra becomes comfortable in a real enclosure.

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Sumo our resident South American Coati got a new companion this month when Punsho was released from the quarantine. The initial release of Punsho away from the main areas of EV went smoothly with the intention of him moving into the jungle and becoming self-sufficient. Punsho however, had other ideas, and quickly discovered the volunteer house and all the exciting things occurring there. Plan ‘B’ was to introduce Sumo and Punsho to one another, and our concern of two males not being able to accept each other’s presence was unfounded. Both coatis are now seen throughout the day playing with a seemingly eternal amount of energy. Releasing any wild animal is not without risks and a lesson hard learnt in this instance is that if a coati decides he wants your compost or food bucket you need to let him have it. Janick, our current long-term volunteer, got in the middle of such a dispute, resulting in a bite in his leg. With a fully equipped clinic at Esperanza Verde a few stiches were quickly put in place and with the right medical care Janick was up again in no time.

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Anybody who has volunteered at Esperanza Verde in the previous two years would know the pirouetting, attention seeking and somewhat hilarious Takari, one of our young male black spider monkeys.Takari came to us as a small awkward looking monkey. Over the two years he was here, he grew and became an ever-present part of our growing spider monkey troop. Unfortunately, one afternoon he was seen to have a small drop of blood on his face and again later with similar fresh blood. Takari, being a successful graduate of the EV no touch policy was very wary of the sudden attention from us trying to have a better look. He did not let us come too close, and as he still seemed to be his playful self, we left him with the others. Unfortunately that afternoon it was the last time he was seen. We found his remains a few days later and, although a necropsy was not possible anymore, we think he might have experienced a fall sustaining an injury which resulted in his demise. As with any animal loss, it was a sad day and as his behaviour did not change whatsoever prior to his disappearance we can only hope that he did not suffer.

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Payco, (male crab eating raccoon) was released again to enjoy the best of both worlds. Freedom from the confines of Pepe enclosure with the added benefit of having an evening meal delivered to a nearby feeding platform. Payco has been seen frequently in the evenings since his release and is showing no signs of any issues relating to his previous altercations of only a month ago. It was an amazing and quick recovery and rehabilitation thanks to his strength and all the help from the whole medical team at EV.

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SUST Animal Orphan Hospital

Somebody made the mistake last month mentioning that the SUSTOAH was quieter than it had been in previous months. Call it fate, call it karma, or just a case of ask and you shall receive.

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Between a trip from Olivia to the Ministry of Flora and Fauna in Pucallpa to pick up newly confiscated animals, two displaced yellow footed tortoises being handed over from locals and another orphaned crab eating raccoon from a nearby plantation, the clinic returned to its full capacity. Proving time and time again how vital the support to fund the day to day clinic operations provided by the Suzy Utzinger Foundation from Switzerland is, and, how incredibly grateful we are that there are special people like you supporting Esperanza Verde and the work we do.

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The first two animals Olivia brought back were two monkeys. Dilana a juvenile female Spix´s white fronted capuchin monkey came with an injured right arm, which appeared to have been broken previously and is now fused. Dilana was kept company by Maloha, a young female Humboldt’s woolly monkey. Both monkeys served their time in quarantine and as the month came to a close were moved to the outside Pepe enclosure. Pepe enclosure is perfectly situated in an area of high monkey interaction, allowing both Dilana and Molaha ample opportunity to interact with many of the existing outside monkeys while still living within the safety of the enclosure, prior to being released to enjoy all the freedom that Esperanza Verde provides.

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The third animal to be picked up by Olivia was Gaia, a very young female ocelot. Still in need of a full time mother she was taken in by Olivia and Douwe, like Wayra had been only a few months earlier. Although both are of the same species, Wayra is a lot bigger than Gaia so introductions need to be done slowly and heavily monitored. While Wayra is slowly being acclimatised to enclosure living it gives Gaia time and space to grow and explore freely within the family home.

Cats like these, raised from a very young age by humans, have not learned the necessary hunting skills from their mother, neither the dangers of the wild, to be able to survive in the wild. We hope Gaia and Wayra will be able to give each other company soon, as it is already clear to us, while still being interactive at this age with Wayra, that we humans are not made to be their partners for the long run.

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For some animals, Esperanza Verde is only a short transition station. Local people know that we are taking care of the local wildlife, and, fortunately there are enough people like us who want to protect them. Sometimes a healthy animal is received, after being taken out of the wild recently. This can happen when the person is concerned of the animal safety, e.g. when it might be taken by people to be eaten. Generally these animals can be translocated directly, being released again in the safe surrounding of Esperanza Verde. This was the case with two yellow footed tortoises that were handed over from a local plantation. Before translocation, as all animals received at EV, they are checked and should be given a clean bill of health prior to release. Both tortoises were positive for parasites so were treated first until they were given the all clear. They were released and could be seen seemingly relishing in their freedom again.

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Similarly, a sub-adult pygmy anteater found its way through Esperanza Verde. When people were cutting down its natural habitat this animal found itself without a home. A good Samaritan brought it to us, and after we saw that it was well and healthy, we released it to the safer surroundings of EV.

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So with the clinic full, the family house being taken over by ocelots, another arrival, Takido, a two month old Crab eating raccoon came to live in the assistant manager’s residence with Alexandra. Takido was handed over by someone from a neighbouring village. His story is like many other animals ending up in our care. His mother had been killed in an animal trap, leaving the baby behind. Early progress was slow and Takido didn’t appear to be putting on size as with our other previous racoon acquisitions, but with perseverance from Alex and other volunteers in her absence, Takido is being introduced to solid foods and began to put on weight. Takido now spends days in the outdoor Lucia enclosure enjoying the sun and fresh air before returning to Alex’s cabin for the evenings.

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Prosthenorchis Elegans… as the month began you could be forgiven for thinking these two words and all they entailed were about to claim another victim in Moyo (adult male Humboldts woolly monkey). Moyo’s condition had deteriorated significantly and anybody with extra time on their hands along with dedicated clinic volunteers and staff were taking turns hand feeding Moyo to try and encourage him to add bulk to his emaciated, frail frame. He was free of any infestation but the toll had been huge and every time you returned to the clinic to find Moyo still alive seemed an absolute wonder. Moyo was given a course of pain relief to make him more comfortable and this appeared the turning point in his recovery. At the end of August, it is visually obvious we are still treating the same monkey, but his attitude and presence has changed dramatically. Moyo is now eager for his food and vitamin supplements and is not shy to make noises if he is not getting the attention and service he deserves in a timely fashion. If you ever needed proof to never give up, Moyo and his previous few months is a great reminder. His stay will continue in the SUSTOAH until his weight has reached an acceptable level and his eating habits have returned to normal.

Construction and other

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Geyler had the majority of August off to work on his own properties, and while this left us short one highly competent worker, it proved yet again Esperanza Verde is a team effort relying on all of the small pieces working together. With the addition of a new local worker, Douwe was able to pick up where Geyler left off. Another room has been readied for cement, water has been secured for the plantation Finca Don Jorge after initial supply issues, and a location for a new enclosure is being developed to accommodate the two ocelots in the coming months without encroaching on the space available for our two resident Margays.

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Dex and Rose, two volunteers from The Netherlands finished their painting adorning the entrance to the volunteer house. This latest painting is a welcome addition to the already impressive collection of murals around Esperanza Verde.

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Marlon had his first attendance at the local school since finishing in December 2019, and although only for a one week trial it is a stark reminder that Covid 19 and it ramifications are ongoing and being felt in so many different ways by everybody in every situation.

We are so very thankful for the ongoing support we receive from around the globe. All support in whatever form it takes is gratefully received and is vital for the ongoing care and attention each and every animal receives at Esperanza Verde.

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Caring for wild animals that were pets before, trying to re-adapt them again does not always come without trouble. Generally, human error is involved from the beginning that they were captured until the time they are ready again to be with their own species and live outside. All the doors at Esperanza Verde have a special system to prevent any of these individuals to enter and remind them the ‘fun’ they had in the home of their previous owner. This month Douwe and Marlon walked out of the family house and somehow made the rooky mistake of leaving the door unlocked. It did not take Mica, the first monkey arriving at EV, long to figure this out, letting herself in. Alex heard the noise, but with the door closed, she at first thought Douwe and Marlon were in there. But on further inspection, as the noise was a bit too much, she found two monkeys inside. One directly ran out, while Mica was still finishing up reorganizing Olivia’s home-office. Luckily, they did not do anything to endanger themselves, just gave enough mess to keep Alex and Olivia busy for the rest of the day.

Volunteers

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August is the month where Esperanza Verde is back to the low numbers of volunteers with only two joining in with the daily animal care and maintenance. It is always a great feeling knowing that so much can be achieved by so few and we are appreciative for any and all help given. Taking this opportunity to thank Craig Bright for being with us here all this time. He has been with us now for several years, volunteering first time in 2018, coming back in 2019, shortly revisiting his home country New Zealand, and staying with us now since February 2020, he has become part of our little family, and as well of the bigger animal family, helping us at all times, with whatever is needed at whatever time, never fussing or complaining….well until a certain point, and of course sharing a beer or two helps a lot as well in the process for keeping it all light at the heavier times. Thank you Craig, and we are happy you have decided to become our permanent neighbour, building your own place in Bello Horizonte.

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This month we would like to mention another special and now long-term volunteer: Janick Jaussi, from Switzerland. He volunteered at EV for the first time in 2018, and decided to come back to help and realize a very special personal project at the same time. Please read the next article to know more about him and his project !

The dutch tv show ´Floortje van de einde van de wereld´, who filmed an episode here in 2015 recently re-ran our featured episode in The Netherlands and immediately we received some new volunteer applications as well as several donations. So a huge thank you to the whole team of Floortje and Floortje herself for making such a wonderful show and drawing attention to the work we do here. Thank you to all the people who donated and are donating. Because of your generosity we are, and will be, able to continue to take care of all the animals in need. You help us make a difference.

Animals

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Yauri & Ricuna (a young male woolly monkey and a young female black spider monkey), were let out of the Lulu cage where they had spent a few weeks getting acquainted with the outside monkeys. We opened the door and after a few moments of hesitation they both ventured out. Yauri was greeted by a cuddle from Tushko (juvenile male woolly) and found his way quickly in the trees. Ricuna seemed to have attracted a surrogate mum in Yanay (one of our adult female spider monkey), and a playmate in Chula, the daughter of Cumala (adult female spider monkey). Ricuna seems to be very confident whereas Yauri is more cautious, however, has won over our alpha male Monano who intervened when one of the other monkeys was over zealous in his playing with Yauri. In the evenings Ricuna and Yauri are given the option of returning to their enclosure where they have the option to sleep in safety and comfort.

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Kiro, (young male large headed capuchin) is on the same daily routine as Yauri and Ricuna and he has found a new best friend in Biko (male juvenile large headed capuchin). Kiro is still a bit young to spend the night out by himself, especially as the capuchins will often move too fast for him, leaving him on his own during the day. It will take some time, but with his self-assured character he will get there soon enough.

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Maruja (adult female woolly monkey) and her baby Manuk are a constant reminder of a successful animal release, and as he is getting older, Manuk is gaining more confidence. Now he can be seen venturing a little distance away from his mother and climbing in the trees. And Monano (male adult alpha woolly monkey) still keeps his ever watchful eyes over them.

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Rihana, the young female collared peccary, was moved from the clinic to the corridor enclosure connected to the Noroc enclosure where the rest of our peccaries (12 in total) are living. She had time to get to know the others while having the safety of a fence still in between. It seemed she was forming a bond with Kohana as well as with Timo, the adult male of the group. She was often seen lying down on her side of the fence, while Kohana (the oldest female peccary) was lying down on the other side. After a few weeks we let her go into the main cage, and she directly was greeted by Kohana, doing the typical peccary-hug (rubbing their scent onto each other through the glands on their backs), and soon after by Timo. All seemed well, and Rihana was seen following Kohana around. Unfortunately, on the second day after her introduction, Douwe checked around the whole enclosure to search for her, and found what was left of Rihana. It seems that she was killed and eaten. We had high hopes as she won over the two alphas of the group so this was a very unfortunate outcome. We take all possible steps to prevent any animal harm trying to give the animals the best chance to have a life as close to freedom as possible in their natural surroundings. Sometimes nature prevails and no amount of planning and care can prevent regrettable outcomes.

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Selda and Yanamayu (female and male large headed capuchins) were ready to go out of the clinic and once again joined the woolly monkey Kamayo in La Sapa. After having recovered from a bad case of the parasite P. Elegans Yanamayu gained weight again and is now starting his (strange) personality again. Now they are both in La Sapa and even though they have respect for Kamayo; Selda has been seen teasing him by running up and tapping his tail and then running to hide. It almost seems she has forgotten of her love for Olivia and has fallen for the big fellow.

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Dani, short for Daenarys (mealy parrot), has been a resident at Esperanza Verde for a long time. She can’t fly because of a damaged wing and lots of volunteers remember her as the bird who will happily take a ride on your hand to get to the food table quickest way possible! Since more birds have been joining our aviaries lately, she has been having a harder time fitting in and got bullied a lot. After having started in the aviary Pichu, then Igor, then Elmo (all enclosures with other parrots), she is now back in the Igor enclosure, which she shares with a group of smaller non-releasable birds. She has started to make her old noises again, which we are taking as a good sign of her feeling comfortable again.

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SUST Animal Orphan Hospital

As the clinic hardly had any animals in daily care it gave us some time to do more administration as well as laboratory work. We even got some time to give the inside walls a paint refresh. But of course it will never last long before the clinic fills up again. This month we saw Mashi (male woolly monkey), Payco (male crab-eating raccoon), and Moyo (male woolly monkey) being admitted.

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Moyo, (adult male woolly monkey) was in semi-captivity for a long time. He was enclosed a few months ago en La Sapa as he lost weight and was coping with the infestation of Prosthenorchis Elegans. While being inside, we could control his diet and treat him. Unfortunately, his condition was deteriorating and we admitted him to the clinic. Here he has been able to get constant care from the person working the clinic as well as the management team. He has good and bad days. The worms of the parasite are coming out but it takes a big toll on Moyo, and he is hardly eating. He needs to be handfed, given medicine and given some extra attention. For now we are keeping him as comfortable as can be, hand feeding and keeping him warm. We are hoping he will show improvements soon and be returned to the comfort of Esperanza Verde freedom.

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Payco, (male crab eating raccoon) was brought to the clinic one Tuesday morning. Douwe, Olivia and Alex, woke up hearing some intense fighting and screaming in the dark morning hours. Douwe quickly located Payco, who was hiding under a tree. He seemed in pain, and was breathing strangely. We brought him to the clinic for a checkup and discovered that he had severely damaged his nose. Thanks to the quick response of our vet-team in Europe, we were advised how to proceed and before the working day was about to start the operation was done. Payco recovered remarkably quick. After eating porridge for 10 days he is now back in his old enclosure, Pepe, again and will soon be ready for his release once more.

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Mashi, (juvenile male woolly monkey) was discovered with an enlarged left testicle by a volunteer while giving him his daily vitamins. He was moved to the clinic for observation. The testicle was growing bigger, without any visible wounds, so again with help from our Europe-vet team we started treatment. It took some time to get the effect we longed for, but finally it started to have effect and the testicle became smaller. Mashi was not at all happy to be inside, banging the door and windows, when someone would pass by. So, as he is easy to treat and observe outside, we decided to let him out while continuing his treatment. He was a very happy monkey the day we let him out. We will of course keep an eye on him and his testicle!

Besides taking care of sick animals, unfortunately sometimes dead animals pass through the clinic. An important part in animal care taking is to perform necropsies to understand why an animal has passed away. This month one of the scarlet macaws named Ermina was found dead in Pichu cage. There is a water pond available for the birds in Pichu cage and we believe she fell in there during night and drowned, which was confirmed by the necropsy.

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Construction and other

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Another room at the volunteer house has been re-floored, a necessity after years as wood quickly rots here in the rainforest humidity! Geiler, Douwe and Craig together with help of one of our workers for Finca Organica Don Jorge, Rolli. Volunteers also pitched in to provide them with the necessary sand for the concrete. Not the easiest job to be carrying bags of sand for 250 meters from the river to the house, even in a wheelbarrow!

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Two Dutch volunteers, Dex and Rose, have been working hard to leave us a beautiful painting on the bare wall of the new toilet at the volunteer house. Here at Esperanza Verde we always appreciate some art and cannot wait to see the finished product. So far they are not getting too bothered by monkeys and can paint in peace.

Volunteers

July has been busy with volunteers coming and leaving and we are now at the crazy number of 7 volunteers! To everyone who has been here in the past that must seem as a really low number of volunteers as usually we are with a group of 10-12. We have seen, even with Covid, that we will make it work. But, with “low” number of 7 volunteers we have able to do more enrichment for the animals and spending extra time with sick animals. Furthermore, we are able to continue our daily tasks such as raking paths and keeping the bodega and volunteer house clean.

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Machico has also taken some of the volunteers on a forest walk. On this walk it is possible to admire some of the huge trees that exist here in the amazon and if volunteers are lucky (and quiet) they sometimes even see animals in the wild they wouldn’t normally get to see.

We want to say a big big thank you to our VET-Team in Europe! What would we have done without you, and not only this month in particular? Philipp, Katja and Lea, and all the veterinarians who assist you in getting the best care here at EV for the animals: THANK YOU!

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July is always a month with at least one celebration as Kayla turned 17! All volunteers were invited to the family house where Kayla had served up a buffet, games were played and cake eaten. A good night, thank you for the wonderful food Kayla and happy birthday!

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Dry season has started here with water tanks emptying quicker than they’re naturally filled up. No worries though, as we’re in the rainforest, and surrounded by a nice stream and big river which we use to fill the tanks with in the drier months. It gives us also more opportunity to enjoy the surroundings, especially while washing the buckets at the small stream, taking a shower at the waterfall, or going for a swim in the main river. On the day of the local celebration of the Saint Juan, we went with the whole group to enjoy our lunch break at the waterfall, while eating the local dish specially prepared for that day by Kayla and friends: Juanes, representing the head of the locally famous saint.

Animals

Thanks to all the people who have donated and are donating directly to Esperanza Verde or to our partners in Europe. Esperanza Verde has managed, and will be able, to stay on top and to provide the best care for all the animals. Thank you foundation Jaap van de Graaf from The Netherlands for another great donation which helps us cover a large part of the animal costs already. Combined with all the help we have from our team in Europe and volunteers now arriving, we are confident that we can only move forward.

A special mention is reserved to our new quarantine. Although we had expected to inaugurate this beautiful new building, financed by the foundation Jaap van de Graaf, last year, it was time to get it ready. With the new animals arriving we ´decorated´ two of the 9 available cages for the first inhabitant: Punsho, a young male coati. We hope to be able to release him directly from of the quarantine, after which we will make the entire quarantine ready for full use. Thank you so much Jaap van de Graaf, to help us be better in our care for all the animals.

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Kiro, (a young male large headed capuchin)and Mica (our first female large headed capuchin) were both released to enjoy the open spaces available to them within Esperanza Verde. While Mica was quick to resume her previous routine of keeping a watchful eye on Douwe, Olivia and family, Kiro found himself quickly playing with other young capuchins from our outside group, especially young male Biko. Kirois is under constant surveillance from volunteers to observe his habits and associations and other than a minor bite from our dominant female woolly, his behaviour and acceptance appears to bode well for a successful integration.

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Payco, the male crab eating raccoon, has now been released. Initial attempts at walking and keeping an eye on him was hard to do, as he desired no guidance and had no interest in us being there, and quickly disappeared into the night. Payco’s confidence and individuality hopefully will ensure a successful release. Our experience with previous releases of racoons showed they often come back to the familiarity of their enclosure some days after initial release. So it was no surprise to see Payco after two days getting some snacks in his cage.

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Armando our youngest Juara howler monkey has really come into his own in the last 8 weeks. Due to their special dietary requirements and ‘delicate’ nature our howler’s weight is measured weekly and this is the first time in two years where Armando’s weight has consistently improved for such a long time. He is showing also such a more playful nature which is so refreshing after his almost distant demeanour of the past.

SUST Animal Orphan Hospital

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Both Ricuna (young female black spidermonkey) and Yauri (young male woolly monkey) successfully completed their quarantine period. They were ready to join Darwin and Armando, our male howlers, having the enclosure to themselves during the day, with the added company of Darwin and Armando during the night. From the outset it was evident both Ricuna and Yauri were enjoying the fresh air, sunshine and extra space. Outside monkeys are showing a lot of interest in the newcomers often with our entire outside spider monkey troop in attendance.

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Wayra the young female ocelot is relishing in the attention and special care on offer at the family home with Douwe, Olivia and Marlon. Her diet and appetite has improved considerably in the previous month and is a credit to the hard work and persistence being put in by Olivia.

Selda, one of our female large headed capuchins, joined the male Yanamayu in the SUSTAOH, after a brief stint at freedom. Selda was returning to her previous habits of obsessing over Olivia and tapping on windows at all hours of day and night. Macu, our outside male did take an interest in her, but soon gave up, as she was completely ignoring him. So with Yanamayu being the only inhabitant at the clinic by the end of the month it was time to give him some company. He is still being monitored closely and we are still trying to get him to gain some extra weight. Rather than having to spend all hours alone the decision was made to give him the company of Selda. Maybe she can fatten him up a bit!

Rihana, the young female collared peccary, will stay a bit longer in the clinic, so we have ample time to prepare for her introduction to the other peccaries in the Noroc enclosure.

Construction and other

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Rimaq enclosure, the home of our two largest male spider monkeys Rimaq and Lucio, as well as Kres and Apollo (female and male large headed capuchin monkeys respectively) got a welcome refresher this month. Having enough volunteers to help in the extra tasks, Geyler and Craig managed the difficult task of closing the monkeys into the front cage before rehanging tyres, new bamboo and general cleaning; giving the resident monkeys a welcome change of environment. As all four monkeys have spent a great deal of time with humans prior to Esperanza Verde it is necessary to keep them in enclosure for both their and volunteers ongoing safety. Keeping enclosures fresh with new obstacles and entertainment is essential in the ongoing health and wellbeing of monkeys within enclosures.

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A job that was delayed last year, but high on the priority list, has finally started; the renewal of the entire volunteer house floor. A drawback of living in the jungle (there really aren’t that many) is that wood is directly affected by the high humidity. Room by room the volunteer house will now get new cement floor to replace the old wooden flooring. Thanks to the time freed up by the arrival of a great group of volunteers, Geyler, Douwe and Craig had the chance to work for several days in a row together to start the first room. Geyler and Douwe also gave the room an extensive clean and resealed all the walls. This along with the marble effect of the blue and yellow floor really gives the room a new fresh feel.

Volunteers

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This month we had to say goodbye to our French contingent this month. Peggy stayed longer than she anticipated and her input was greatly appreciated. The official volunteer count at the end of the month was eight and it is a welcome change from the previous year. Once everyone is up to speed we can expect great things in animal enrichment as well as Douwe stealing any willing and able hands for any of the many projects that he always has on the go.

May seems to bring us a bit closer to getting back to ‘normal’. After a long period of having only a few volunteers, few new animals arriving and no ongoing construction, finally things seem to have turned around a bit. We hope this is something most of the world is experiencing. Now with more people to help us, we were able to accept more animals in need which had recently been confiscated by the Ministry of Fauna and Flora in Pucallpa.

Animals

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Manok, the newest male member of the woolly monkey family, is doing well. He shows a lot of interest in all the stimuli provided by the world around him. He and his mum, Maruja, are always being closely watched and protected by the alpha male, Monano.

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The scarlet macaw, named Wanda, has been moved from the clinic and introduced directly to the other scarlet macaws in the Pichu enclosure. The introduction was monitored closely by the watchful eyes of both Peggy (our French volunteer) and Douwe. Wanda seemed to stand her ground and has now found her place in the enclosure.

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The two blue and yellow macaws, named Jada and Atlas, who were in the clinic together with Wanda were moved to the front cage of Elmo. Therefore, it was time for Inuka, Upendi (two yellow crowned Amazon parrots, and Dani/Daenarys (Mealy Amazon parrot) to make the transition to the main enclosure of Elmo. All went well for Inuka and Upendi, and they quickly showed their comfort in this big space by making their well-known noises: ‘’olla olla, Cuuricuuricuuri’’, and many more. Dani didn’t seem to be too happy, not being able to fly or fall gracefully; so we brought her back to the front cage, joining Jada and Atlas. Here Jada and Atlas will get the chance to adapt to their new surroundings.

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Kaluha, the juvenile female woolly monkey, who arrived some time ago, was released from the La Sapa cage, after spending a few weeks in there with Kamayo (adult male woolly) and the two capuchins she arrived with (Akemi and Kiano). She quickly adapted outside, being directly hugged by several of the outside woolly monkeys.

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Releases

As the Ministry of Fauna and Flora from Pucallpa was bringing several new animals (read further in the paragraph; SUST Orphan Animal Hospital), we took the opportunity to release (or in some cases soft-release) of several animals;

Payco, the male crab eating raccoon, has taken his first steps outside. Now it is a question of giving him a lot of practice while being with someone to guide him on late afternoon walks until he is accustomed enough to be outside on his own. He has a beautiful female, Eona (previously released), who has been visiting him during night time, and hopefully she will be able to show him the ropes about living outside.

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After adjusting to his new surroundings and meeting the resident monkeys, it was time to open the door for Akemi (juvenile male large headed capuchin) and Kiano (juvenile male Spix’s white fronted capuchin). They both are new at Esperanza Verde, and we hope they will adjust well in the outside group. Soon after his release Akemi tried to steal an egg from Samara (one of the adult female woolly monkeys) and learned the hard way that Samara is one you want to watch out for. He is doing fine, and Kiano, with his playful character already found his way to fool around with some of the other outside capuchins.

Selda, one of our adult female large headed capuchins previously enclosed in the Rimaq enclosure, joined Akemi and Kiano in La Sapa. After Selda was bitten by Kres during her stay in the Rimaq enclosure, we took her out and after some observation, and treatment at the clinic, we decided it was time for another attempt for her to be released at Esperanza Verde. Earlier releases were not successful, as she decided to follow some of us around even to the extent of knocking on the windows during evenings and sometimes at nights to get our attention. So for the last weeks she has been closed in with Kiano and Akemi, in the hope she will turn more to them for contact than to us, humans. Let’s hope for all our sake (including hers) it works out and she does not become another example of how much damage we humans can do to an animal by having them as a pet. So far so good, but she did show up directly on the first day hanging on the kitchen window peeking in.

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Kiro, (a young male large headed capuchin) who arrived with Kiano and Akemi, has been enclosed with Mica (our first female large headed capuchin) for several weeks. They seem to have bonded well, but we will give Kiro a bit more bonding time, before we let them both out.

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The two yellow spotted turtles, of which one had a damaged mandible, were moved, together with the Amazon mud turtle, to the Aguatena (a quarantine enclosure specially made for aquatic animals). They seemed to be very happy with the bigger surrounding and ability to swim, having some practice before their release. They were all released during the visit of the Ministry in the near surrounding at the small stream of Esperanza Verde.

SUST Animal Orphan Hospital

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After a short visit of Selda, and the movement of the macaws and turtles, the clinic became very quiet, with only Yanamayu left. It was in many ways a good thing, as now we could prepare for the new arrivals.

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Yanamayu, one of our enclosed adult large headed capuchin males, was moved last month to the La Sapa enclosure, but he still did not seem to thrive there. We moved him to the clinic, as space came available, were he underwent more intensive care. Finally after some weeks he seems to be more active, talkative and eating better. He is finally getting rid of some worms of the, for us so well-known, parasite; Prosthenorchis Elegans.

Only staying for some hours, was a three toed sloth. After being rescued from being pestered by some children, she was brought to us. The sloth, being well and coming straight from the wild, needed to be returned to the wild as soon as possible again. So after a medical check and as soon as it became dark, we released her in the safe surrounding of Esperanza Verde.

New animals

The Ministry brought us the following animals:

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Two red tailed boas. Both were already checked medically in Pucallpa by the veterinarian of the Ministry, and were declared ready for their release. We gave them a final medical check upon arrival and took them further into the forest of Esperanza Verde to be released. As it is a nice experience and sight for all to be able to set free two beautiful creatures of nature, they were accompanied on their way to freedom by all volunteers.

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A young white caiman, which also received a medical check from the veterinarian in Pucallpa and was declared healthy for release, as soon as it has put on sufficient weight and growth to be able to survive on its own. For now it will stay in the Aguatena, where we can oversee his ability of catching his own food, before realizing his release.

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A young female black spider monkey, a bit skinny and with a small bump on the forehead but very well in spirit. She was happy to get some nice food and will for now reside in the clinic. Yanay (our adult female spider monkey living outside seems to be smitten, and is hanging outside of clinic from dawn till dusk talking to the newcomer. We foresee a great future for the new female, as you can’t have anybody better to protect you than Yanay!

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A young male woolly monkey, handed over to us from someone in the village. They had bought her, and as often the story goes: It is fun for a while, but then they notice it is not like a normal pet, a monkey is curious, does not use a toilet, and will just open everything, if not only out of boredom of being with people. So after some time, they decided to give it up. Another sad ending as we know, for a wild female woolly, being the mother of this male and most certainly killed to get to this male baby. So here at Esperanza Verde we will provide him with a second chance and hope he will be well with our outside woolly monkeys after his quarantine time. Both the young spider as this woolly at least have a good start of arriving at the same time, so they will be spending the quarantine time together at the clinic, giving them both more comfort and less stress.

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A young female margay or ocelot of about 6 weeks old. At first it was thought by the Ministry it is a ocelot, but finally was brought in officially as a margay. We are still a bit in doubt. As it is so small the distinctive features as the length of the tail, are making it hard, although we tend to go more to ocelot at this stage (the tail just seems a bit short for a margay). In any case the small female should at least be twice its weight, so the first priority is to get her healthy and growing steadily. Being this young it would normally be with its mother full time, dependent on her care, milk and protection. She has been taken in by Olivia and Douwe who can provide her the intensive care needed at this age, till we have a more long term solution for her future to be.

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Construction and other

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With Craig and Geyler back, from a well-deserved holiday, new volunteers on the team, and Alexandra taking the reign again in the general management, some bigger construction projects that were on hold could be started. The first priority was the start of the renewal of the floor of the volunteerhouse. This will take several months, as it will be done while the house is occupied. Douwe and Geyler will be busy the coming weeks with the first room, while Craig can take a lot of Douwe’s duties of the on-site constructions and maintenance.

Volunteers

This was a refreshing month with new energy with all new people. We now have a crew of 5 volunteers, most staying with us for several months. Together with Craig, Alexandra, Geyler, Machico and Rolli (working at the organic plantation, Finca Don Jorge), we have a good group to get Esperanza Verde back to its normal routine again.

April has been a month of festivities and finding numerous reasons for celebration. The rainy season has lasted longer than usual, and although muddier, it comes with its own silver lining, vibrant new growth everywhere you look.

Animals

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New babies are always a cause for celebration and this month did not disappoint. Douwe had realised a few weeks earlier that Maruja (female adult Humboldts woolly monkey) was carrying a lot of extra weight. On closer inspection Douwe was allowed to feel Marujas belly and found it was full of arms and legs. Then, after disappearing for almost two days, Maruja apparently thought it was time to show us her new born son. It was a great joy to see her with the new baby attached, both doing very well. It is always a beautiful sight to see the entire woolly monkey troop come to view their latest addition. The baby appears in very good health and surprisingly rapidly aware of what is going on around it. We decided to name him Manok.

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Our alpha male Humboldts woolly monkey Monano, and most likely the father, is never far away from the action ensuring the safety of the newest addition.

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Payco the crab eating raccoon has settled into his new enclosure and, other than a small finger injury, is in good health and high spirits. Although he has a different personality to our previous crab eating raccoons (Rumani, Mokwai, Eona) we envisage evening walks for Payco starting in the next month. This is always a welcome addition to the day, with many volunteers eager to take on this fun and rewarding role. Evening walks are vital in preparing Payco for release, which is ultimately a decision he will make when he is comfortable enough with his outside surroundings. Eona visits him sometimes in the evening laying on his cage, and seemingly having whole conversations together, so hopefully they will make a nice couple one day!

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Yanamayu, one of our enclosed adult large headed capuchin males, was not doing well in the Rimaq enclosure under the dominance of female Kres (female adult capuchin), who hardly allowed him to get to the food. With Kamayo (Humboldts woolly monkey) having La Sapa enclosure to himself, the decision was made to put them together (as they have been together in that cage in the past). Kamayo is dominating in the cage La Sapa, however, as his nature is very relaxed, we hope that the change of location will benefit Yanamayu’s health and give him an opportunity to put on some weight.

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Often a favorite with volunteers Armando and Darwin are our resident Jurua red howler monkeys. Howler monkeys often require a lot more personal attention when they arrive at Esperanza Verde as they have special dietary requirements in addition to being very sensitive to stressful situations. Both Darwin and Armando still spend their night in the security of Lulu enclosure, before being let free every morning to roam throughout the day. This allows us to control their diet, feeding them leaves from the forest and vegetables in their cage, as outside they are more likely to eat foods which are great for the other monkeys but are not great for their dietary requirements. Darwin is doing great, and is a happy monkey, seen playing with several of the other monkeys, woollies, spiders and some of capuchins. Armando has a total different character; you could call it laid back or less social. We just hope it is the first, although sometimes we think the only thing he wants to do is lie around in the sun or be a baby again and lay in the arms of a surrogate mother, which used to be us! He does hang around with some of the woollies, who love grooming him and laying next to him. His weight gain is not very regular and gives us a lot of concern, we just hope that we really can teach him that you don’t need humans to make your life better and get him stronger!

SUST Animal Orphan Hospital

The new monkeys that were passing their quarantine time in the clinic were all moved by the end of the month.

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One of our biggest concerns was the very young (large headed capuchin) male Kiro. To ensure his future well-being, we decided to take one of the outside female capuchins to join him in one of our outside cages; one which would protect and care for him, and hopefully will keep doing this after his release. There is no better monkey for this job than all-round experienced and first monkey (large headed capuchin) at Esperanza Verde: Mica, a female of now almost 11 years old. Mica was not all too happy of being encaged but with such a playful and needy youngster, we hope she will adjust and take care of him so he can slowly adjust to the surroundings and the outside monkey group before his final release. The first night might have been tough on both, but the second night they spent together Kiro was warmly on Micas back, a great sign that they are comfortable together.

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The other three monkeys, Akemi (juvenile large headed male), Kiano, (juvenile white-fronted capuchin) and Kaluha (female woolly monkey) were all brought to the La Sapa enclosure. The enclosure is a now full with activity as Kiano, being the youngest and apparently the most playful one, jumping around and directly looking for some contact with Yanamayu. It seems to be a good change for both Moyo and Yanamayu, getting some company of their own species, while the enormous and powerful Kamayo learns how to share a bit better and become a role model.

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The two blue and yellow macaws and the scarlet macaw will stay a bit longer in the clinic, while we prepare the outside aviaries for their introductions. We regularly have to renew some of their branches as otherwise they try to use our heads as one! Not an easy cage to clean, while trying to avoid their sharp beaks.

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The three turtles will soon move to an outside quarantine (the Aguatena) where they will have more space and can spend the rest of their quarantine period. We are happy to say that the yellow spotted river turtle with the damaged mandible is gaining weight and it seems his mandible is slowly healing.

Construction and other

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With extra rain comes additional maintenance and, although it was another month of no major constructions, it was a productive month nevertheless. Machico and Rolli were busy between both Don Jorge Finca Organica and Esperanza Verde cutting back the ever-present growth, maintaining land boundaries and ensuring the on-going food production. All three workers (including Geyler) also found time to plant a lot of new tree seedlings. This is an important on-going part of Esperanza Verde and one of the positives of an extended wet season, giving the new trees the best possible start.

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This time a lot of young seedlings of the species, locally called Shihuahuaco (Dipteryx sp.), were planted. In the international timber market they are traded under the name Cumaru. This wood became very popular in the 2010s for the use of parquet for flooring. They are giant trees that can grow up to 60 m and the trunk can grow to over 2m in diameter. As only a few tree species do, the fruit of the Shihuahuaco becomes ripe in the dry season, which makes them an important food source for many local animals. The fruit is eaten in the crown of this high tree by monkeys (e.g. spider monkeys), bats, opossums and macaws, dropping the seeds under the tree while they eat.

Volunteers

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Easter was a welcome change from the daily routine and although still maintaining a very limited crew, we were able to make time to celebrate in style. One of our workers Geyler, brought his family across from the village and the morning was spent painting and decorating eggs for the mighty Esperanza Verde Egg Hunt. Something for the children you would think, but Douwe and Geyler were as active and competitive as their (MUCH) younger rivals. Geylers eldest Sergio, was triumphant at finding most eggs as well as the Queen-egg, before everyone returned to the volunteer kitchen for a delicious special lunch prepared by Kayla.

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What a month for volunteers. After so long with such a small team the month of April saw three new volunteers arriving and a long-awaited Alex returning to fill the assistant manager’s role. Two of the new volunteers were already living in Peru while both Alexandra and Jannick (who has been here as a volunteer in 2018) have made the trip from Europe. It is always so exciting to have new volunteers and we are hugely grateful that after so long the route from Europe is again open to travel (at time of writing).

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April would not be complete without wishing Douwe a very happy birthday and this year was certainly a year for celebration with Douwe turning the mighty 50! The birthday boy had the celebration of his choice and had a bbq at home enjoying the perfect weather and company of his family (including Craig and Alex 🙂).

This month again proved how fortunate we are. Although we are currently only a very small group everybody pulls together when needed to achieve the intended outcome. Not often has it been necessary that the whole family had to help out with the daily chores at the same time, even Marlon helped sorting through the bananas! It was a month of new animals, a new local worker, one new volunteer and two departing volunteers. March reinforced the idea that there is never a dull day at Esperanza Verde.

Animals

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Last month’s new arrival Payco (young male crab eating raccoon) moved into the recently vacated Pepe enclosure, but it wasn’t just a case of closing him in and leaving him to his own devices. Payco spent a few days within the enclosure and returned to the family house in the evenings so the transition period could be as stress free as possible. He is progressing well in his new home and already his diet is increasing to include more fresh meats and fish.

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Rabito, one of our male resident red brocket deer, was unusually absent at consecutive feedings this month. On further investigation he was found to have wounds obtained when “scrapping” with another deer within his enclosure. His behaviour seemed to have changed, thus it was decided swiftly to start antibiotic treatment. Every day he received a nice treat (including the necessary medicine) while he was put through the perceived indignity of being sprayed with a purple disinfectant spray on his wounded tail. Rabito’s behaviour returned to normal quite quickly and is as eager as ever come feeding time.

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Samara (female adult Humboldts woolly monkey) is one monkey anybody fortunate to have spent any time at Esperanza Verde would be very familiar with. If she isn’t stealing milk bowls from unaware ‘rookie’ volunteers she is standing in her butter won’t melt in her mouth pose, with her arms in the air wanting something special. Another very recognisable attribute of Samara over the years has been her very obvious lack of fur. March is the month that we celebrate Samara being a very different monkey now sporting a full body of luscious fur. We hope this is a direct result of the changes we have made to her diet as well as supplementing her normal intake of vitamins through giving her adaily vitamin supplement.

If there is one animal that was always reminding you of his presence it is Loki (male adult Humboldts woolly monkey). The grabbing of any volunteer straying too close to the mesh of his enclosure, or the intense shaking of his enclosure numerous times throughout the day reinforced why such a big male was unable to enjoy the freedom so many of our more relaxed monkeys take for granted. One morning this month started without the usual banging and on closer inspection Douwe found Loki laying on the bottom of his enclosure not moving. Loki had died during the night and a necropsy was unable to find any conclusive evidence as to a cause of death and Loki appeared in very good physical health with not a drop of fat evident internally. Every one of the animals adds to the atmosphere and experience at Esperanza Verde and like every other animal Loki’s input will be missed.

SUST Animal Orphan Hospital

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These times are not only hard for us, but they are as well for the local official entities that have to enforce the law. The illegal trade goes on and animals are confiscated or left at the local Ministry of Flora and Fauna, while they don’t have the facility to adequately take care of them. So when the Ministry called us, knowing we are still officially closed, we put our heads together and decided we had to make time and place for a few new comers.

As things were still quiet at the first part of this month, Puck took the opportunity to do a general deworming round for all monkeys. Many welcomed the piece of bread with marmalade and sugar or the extra vitamins or milk, unaware of what was hidden inside!

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Traya, the young female, large headed capuchin monkey, who was admitted in the clinic last month seemed to get slowly stronger, but then suddenly took an unfortunate turn for the worst. She died as a result of the infestation of the parasite Prosthenorchis Elegans. A necropsy found that the parasite had caused a perforation of the intestines.

New arrivals

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Two of the newcomers are now named Akemi and Kiro (young adult and a very young large headed capuchin, both males). Together with them also arrived Kiano (a juvenile Spixs white fronted capuchin). They all were confiscated some weeks ago by the Ministry. Together with them also arrived a juvenile female woolly monkey, now named Kaluha, who arrived at the Ministry only a few days before their trip to EV. Akemi looked really skinny, and after only a few days having sufficient food availability, his face looked already a lot healthy and fuller. Kiano is a typcal juvenile, happy and follows the lead of Akemi. Normally a young capuchin like Kiro would still be carried on the back by his mother, receiving her milk and learning from her what to eat. Kaluha has taken a bit of this care and carries Kiro on her back While Kiro can learn a lot socially within this group, we will have to provide him with some extra vitamins and keep a close eye on his growth.

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Two yellow and blue macaws and a scarlet macaw were among the new animals. They all were confiscated in transport. They all seemed to have been handled for some time by people, as they are not afraid of us and very easily to be managed. They will stay in the clinic during their quarantine period before the next step of introducing them to the different aviaries.

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The last of the arrivals were 3 turtles (2 yellow-spotted river turtles and 1 Amazon mud turtle). One of the yellow-spotted river turtles had been most unfortunate, as it seems to have a broken mandible (jaw), as if something crushed it. For now he is under close observation and we hope it will heal sufficiently for him to be able to start eating again.

Construction and other

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This month construction was put on hold, as priority was placed on taking care of all the resident animals, welcoming new animals, saying goodbye to volunteers and ensuring we have enough fruit for all the animals. With the Organic finca Don Jorge we are fortunate to be more self-sufficient as for the necessary supply of bananas, yuka, papaya and a variety of other fruit. We are happy to have found an extra local worker to help. We welcome Rolli, from Bello Horizonte, who has joined our team this month, helping at the Finca Don Jorge, as well as helping occasionally out at EV.

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One of his first jobs was to get acquainted with our macaws in the Elmo enclosure, giving them some fresh bamboo.

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Volunteers

So finally it was time to let Puck go! And with her Sandra left for Lima too. Puck has been our steady rock during this year, and we will miss her dearly. Thank you Puck for sticking around, helping us and the animals for such a long time, setting your own life in Holland aside for the time being. We wish you all the best, and will try and keep things running smoothly till your return! And after many months it was also time for Sandra to return home to Lima, and pick up her life again. Thank you Sandra for coming to EV to give us the necessary help.

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Luckily for us, a new volunteer arrived, who had been stuck in Peru because of Covid, and decided to give us a hand. Welcome Peggy, from France!

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In the midst of another rising of Covid cases in Peru, we received a visit from the Ministry of Fauna and Flora to witness the release of several animals. At Esperanza Verde life goes on thanks to all the animals in our care, which depend fully on all our devotion. With the small group (counting the family, Puck, Craig and Sandra, and Machico and Geyler standing by us) we manage to keep life as normal as possible.

Animals

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Our young female crab eating raccoon, Eona, was already getting used to living outside. Our dedicated volunteers Puck and Sandra took her out frequently at the end of the day for a walk towards the small stream to get her acquainted with the surroundings. One night she seemed to have decided freedom was a far better option than returning to the safety of her enclosure. The first few nights had us all very worried, but Puck quickly recognised one of the tell-tale signs that it was Eona coming to eat her food rather than an errant opossum. Crab eating raccoons have the habit of washing their food and so does Eona, putting it all in her water bowl, a fact that is hard to ignore in the morning when cleaning up the resulting mess. After a week we caught Eona again so that her weight and general health could be checked, before she was released again, during the presence of the Ministry from Pucallpa. Food is now left outside for Eona every night and she is frequently seen in the area around her enclosure. During the day she seems to have found a good sleeping spot outside.

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As the Ministry was visiting, we took this opportunity to officially declare some other animals released as well. Two of these are Nando and Ezra, a male and female white capuchin, who both are doing so well outside. Nando, who was held as a pet before his arrival, together with Cesar, one of the male spider monkeys, is now more and more seen moving away with the outside capuchin group. Ezra is still hanging out nearby the volunteer kitchen, but bit by bit we believe she will follow the lead of the other capuchins.

Sumo, our only male coati, is another animal we officially now have released. He is generally seen on most days lurking around, trying to get some scraps of food from our buckets, as well as getting a cuddle from the family dog Tara. But more often than before, he is not seen for some days till he all of a sudden turns up having smelled the fish, while we are feeding Anishka, the otter.

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There could not have been a nicer moment for the Ministry to be present, as Anishka, our young adult female otter was taken out for a long walk through the stream. Every day she is taken for twice for long walks through the stream, so she gets to know the surroundings well, and learns to catch her food herself. Release of an animal is a slow process; it takes dedication, time and a lot of effort, for all involved. Anishka is getting better and better, catching some crabs, as well as some small fish, but she is still young, and has a long way to go. A walk with Anishka is an example of one of the privileges we have within the work we do. It shows so clearly the beauty of our work and of the animal. After having arrived here as a baby of only half a kilo, it is beautiful to see and experience the growth in size, health but also in character.

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Luna, Otis and Kira (Ma’s night monkeys) were relocated this month, when the day of the Ministry’s visit was ending. Otis had become fairly territorial towards humans, threatening us often when we wanted to pass by their sleeping box (located near the volunteer house). So we decided it was time for them to move further away from the centre. We knew they would be ready for this, as they were doing fine on their own, being away during the night, not depending on us anymore for food, even letting us (well mainly Otis) know we were not welcome. So we caught them, gave them a final medical check-up and took them to an area a bit further away, still within their normal living range. We hope they will find a more suitable sleeping spot, without us humans waking them up during daytime. Maru, the other male Ma’s night monkey, stays in the direct surroundings of the family house, and is often seen late afternoon in the company of Chiquita, one of our female woolly monkeys.

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As we mentioned last month with the woolly monkeys, every monkey develops their own personalities and none so much as our eight Black Spider monkeys. Ranging in age from our newest baby Chula, who just celebrated her first birthday in December, to Lucio, one of our two big males who is estimated to be seventeen years old. Because of their size and their previous dealing with humans prior to Esperanza Verde our two biggest males Lucio and Rimaq reside within an enclosure they share with four capuchin monkeys, whereas the remaining six black spider monkeys roam free and are never far from sight causing mayhem and general tomfoolery. Chula was born at Esperanza Verde and is the product of a coupling between Rimaq or Lucio and Cumala (one of our larger females). Although Chula becomes more independent each day, Cumala is never far away keeping an eye out. Baby spider monkeys are normally weaned between 12 and 20 months so Cumala will have this growth attached for a while longer yet. Our two young males let their presence be known, trying to get volunteers’ attention by screaming or dancing to obtain responses. Takari, our youngest male is particularly good at doing pirouettes whenever a male volunteer or worker is in attendance. Cesar, who came here as a young juvenile, together and very attached to the male white capuchin, Nando, was mainly on his own in the first months. It took some time, but he now is very well adapted outside, has formed a close bond with the other spider monkeys, is playing with all, including still on occasion with Nando.

SUST Animal Orphan Hospital

The SUSTOAH had a relatively quiet month with more focus on general check-ups, weights, the occasional deparasitation and with only two ‘patients’ having prolonged visits.

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Icarus one of our Ruddy ground doves was found with a broken leg. There was not a lot to be done in such a situation, except for giving him some time and sufficient rest (not too much movement) in an environment of very little stress. After some weeks of rest he could return to the other doves and parakeets in the Igor enclosure.

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Traya, a young female, large headed capuchin monkey, who is newest member of the outside capuchin group, having arrived less than half a year ago, seemed to have some problems with skin parasites. We brought her into the clinic for treatment, observation and some extra attention towards her diet. As she is one of the newcomers, she is low in the hierarchy and does not always get enough outside. She is interacts well with two of the younger, earlier introduces females, but does not receive a lot of attention from the adults, who could help her e.g. by grooming, and taking care of any parasites that might befall her outside. It will take some time for her to establish her place within the group and get sufficiently food intake. We will take some time to get Traya strong enough again so she can join her outside friends again and take her place within the group.

New arrivals

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With the visit of the Ministry arrived a new animal, a young male crab eating raccoon, now named Payco, estimated about 3 months old. Although we officially are not excepting any new animals, we make an exception, if we know we can safeguard our resident animals, as well as can sufficiently take care of the new arrival. Payco will spend the first two weeks at a small cage attached to the family house before going into the former enclosure of Eona. He will follow the same path as Eona, taken for some walks outside letting him at some point decide to return or not to sleep in his enclosure during the day. Of course we hope that we can join Eona at some point with Payco to see if we can do some match making…..

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Although not easy to surprise, Kayla got one this time on camera, while she was making her round of photoshoots for the monthly update. A newborn where it was not expected: our white capuchin Chaira, who has joined the large headed capuchin group since several years, has a baby!

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And then there was a neighbour at lunchtime asking if we were missing an ocelot. He had trapped one in a trunk next to his house…..but both our margays were happily sleeping in their cages. The neighbour did not want the animal to go and then killing his chickens, neither did we want him to kill the animal, so off went Douwe (with Geyler, Kayla and Marlon) to help him out. When they arrived they did not find an ocelot but a young adult margay, female, trapped in a trunk. The neighbour had closed her in. After some struggling with a rope, Douwe could get her into a transport box, and after some more walking, they released her back to where she belonged in the wild. As soon as she figured the door of the small box was open, she jumped out and off she went. We hope she learned from this experience, and will think twice the next time about getting to close to humans!

Construction and other

Variation is the key to keeping the animals entertained and if the same can be said about keeping people happy then Douwe, Geyler and Machico should be very happy men. This month has seen them all hard at work clearing boundaries and walking paths, tiling and painting in the new volunteer toilet, rebuilding enclosure interiors that have grown either tired or been destroyed by overzealous inhabitants, building a new secure storage at the Don Jorge Organic Plantation. All this and still finding time to harvest bananas, papayas, oranges, yuca, verdulaga, zapote, anonamacambo and araza, and thus keeping us humans and animals very happy with the added variety of fruits and vegetables.

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And while having finally some time Craig and Geyler could start with the ever ongoing project of renewal of branches in the birdcages, by redecorating the Pichu enclosure, with new bamboo rods, new branches and some bamboo leaves. A grateful job, as all the birds directly after are seen interacting and demolishing the new put in refreshments.

Volunteers

With February coming to a close the official volunteer count remains at three. Kayla, Marlon, Olivia and Douwe taking time from their already busy schedules is essential in keeping things on track and heading in the right direction.