Unfortunately, there was no time for a newsletter last month. We had staff changes, animal emergencies and simply too much on our plates – apologies! But now we’re back, with familiar faces and a lot of updates we’d love to share with you.
Animals
The past couple of months have been tough. Sadly, we had to say goodbye to Kelso, a young male two-toed sloth who returned to us, some months after his release, with badly infected skin, full of mites. He underwent treatment for several weeks and was making progress, getting ready for release again, but then passed away unexpectedly.
Sumika, a female saki monkey, battled with various health problems among which parasites, and adjustment of diet. Despite all our best efforts, we were not able to save her.
Tushko, one of the male woolly monkeys, arrived at just seven months old and was part of our EV family for nearly eight years. He faced several challenges over the years, especially with the for us very familiar parasite Prosthenorchis elegans. Recently, he looked more beautiful than ever and his sudden passing was heartbreaking for all of us.
The male capybara Basco, is acting off – unusually uninterested in eating, so we’re keeping a close eye on him. While we figure out what’s up, we decided to clean out his pond. It was a muddy job, but Basco enjoyed his fresh, clean bath!
Tokay, the white-throated toucan, continues his rehabilitation-release process and spends more time outside. Under supervision, he flies around the family house and responds more to the calls of wild toucans.
The female two-toed sloth, Saphira, has been going out at night. While we can’t be sure she ventures out every night (she’s always back in the morning), there have been two occasions where she was absent during the day, only to return in the evening. This type of soft release helps her adjust to the wild while still having the security of food and shelter.
Quarantine
Camilo, a young male night monkey arrived in need of intensive care. Now, he’s thriving under the dedicated care of Jules, our veterinary student. He recently moved to an outdoor enclosure to slowly adjust to jungle life.
After being kept as a pet her whole life, Nola, a young female woolly monkey is gradually being weaned off of human contact and introduced to others of her kind. Panchin, adult male, and Sinya, young female, did such a good job welcoming her that Nola is now in an outside enclosure with Moana and Sinya. It’s been a heartwarming journey, with volunteers spending less and less time with her and seeing Martin, the Alpha observe and approve of the troop’s newest addition.
Kenzo and Pacco, young male large-headed capuchins, have moved to the Anishka enclosure as the next step in their rehabilitation. They have yet to socialize with the other capuchins outside but have received many curious visits from the woolly monkeys!
Susy Utzinger Orphan Animal Hospital
Anora, our new female squirrel monkey, quickly bonded with Shana and Kalu, a young female and male large-headed capuchin who arrived earlier this year. Shana and Kalu have been growing fast and doing well. All three are now in a larger space at the clinic, where they can climb more as they prepare for the next stage—moving to an outside enclosure before their eventual release.
Coya, one of the adult woolly monkeys, had a miscarriage and required intensive medical care at the family’s house. She’s still recovering but has moved to a small outdoor enclosure. She is eager to rejoin the group, but we worry about her falling from trees as she remains slightly unstable. She’ll stay under supervision until she regains full strength. A huge thank you to our international vet team, who are always ready for late-night calls from the jungle, and our team here at EV for their incredible dedication!
Kipa, the festive Amazon parrot, has recovered well after her wing amputation, and was moved to the front enclosure of the Elmo Aviary. Despite a few initial falls, she has adjusted well and is now living with other Amazons, including Dani (a Mealy Amazon), one of our oldest residents.
Volunteer & Other Updates
The bodega is slowly improving with the new expansion, becoming more monkey-proof—or so we hope! With the enormous amount of fruit and vegetables needed weekly and no refrigeration, spacious storage with good airflow is essential.
Jules, our bachelor vet student from Holland, stepped up when we were without an assistant manager. She has now set off to travel before heading home to complete her studies, but she’s already promised to return! We’re incredibly grateful for her dedication, and taking care of night monkey Camilo, and we wish her all the best on her next adventures!
We’ve also welcomed back a familiar face! Alex, a former assistant manager, has returned for a few months to support Olivia and Douwe and, of course, because she loves this place! She has already been tidying things up and tackling long-overdue tasks.
Even with all the work, volunteers still find time for fun, whether playing games in the evenings, taking trips to the waterfall after work, or going on night walks.
¡Hasta Proxima!