The past months have brought a mix of emotions here at Esperanza Verde. They were marked by the heartbreaking loss of Kayla. But at the same time, they brought moments of light, with happy baby news, new arrivals, successful releases, and enjoyable activities for the team.
In loving memory of Kayla
Kayla was a light that touched many of us, bold and strong in voice and loved by everyone she met. She struggled with the heavy weight of this world and will be deeply missed. Douwe, Olivia and Marlon want to thank everyone for the love and support they have received from so many of you over the past months.
Animals
We are happy to share baby news! Spider monkey Cumala has given birth to a healthy baby girl named Curana. She is Cumala’s fourth baby, after son Camu, daughter Chula and son Cumbo. She is a very proud mother, showing off her baby to anyone who passes by.
We also have several successful releases to share. Night monkey Odina, who was confiscated from a park where she was used as a photo prop for tourists, has returned to the forest. After just a few months of rehabilitation, we got her back to natural monkey behavior. She is now back to where she belongs, living freely in the jungle.
Spider monkey Lumina was released already last year, but she struggled to connect with the outside group of spider monkeys. We decided to give her more time by temporarily closing her back in, allowing her to strengthen bonds with the group. This patience paid off, and she is now roaming freely through Esperanza Verde.
Spix’s guan Fatou was brought to us as a tiny chick with head trauma, needing constant care. After a full recovery, he was moved to plantation Don Jorge, where he now roams freely, enjoying the richness of lots of insects and following Machico wherever he goes.
Woolly monkeys Dana and Kono have both joined the outside group. Dana settled in almost immediately, but Kono needed a bit more time. He has now also integrated well, and we regularly see him eating at the monkey tables.
Capybaras Basco and Charra moved in together! Basco has been with us for several years, while Charra joined us a year ago, only a couple months old. Now that she has grown big and strong and Basco’s health has finally improved, it was time for them to meet! After a slightly hesitant start, they quickly began eating and swimming together. All under the watchful eye of agouti Kampari, who has been living with Charra for a while now.
Southern tamandua Nakini is doing really well! She arrived just a few weeks old and required intensive care. She grew stronger every day and is now ready to explore more of the outside world. Twice a day, volunteers take her on a termite walk, where she climbs trees and eats her tummy full with delicious fresh termites. After that, she can relax in the outside enclosure Tika, from where she will be released in the future.
Unfortunately we also have some sad news. Male woolly monkey Moyo is no longer with us. He was involved in a fight that left him with a deep wound on his leg. After a few days, he disappeared and has not been seen since. Moyo had been with Esperanza Verde since 2015 and was a familiar face to many. In recent years, he had a gentle nature and was especially loved by the volunteers who gave him his daily vitamins.
Susy Utzinger Orphan Animal Hospital
Small yellow-footed tortoise Shelton John was part of an earlier release. He was found with pieces of his shell missing, and was admitted to SUSTOAH. He is still very young and healing will take time, so he will be in Clinic for a while. He gets a lot of TLC, volunteers even made him a cozy little house!
We welcomed new arrival Astilla, a female tree porcupine. She was found near a city in the area and brought to us by the Ministry of Flora and Fauna. She appears to be a wild animal and prefers to keep her distance from humans. As she is still young and not yet able to survive on her own, she will remain with us until she is ready for a release back into the jungle.
Quarantine
Although their quarantine period was over, we had five residents in Quarantine for a while: mealy parrot Santiago and orange-winged Amazon parrots Sucre, Cusco, Manwe, and Eolus. Finding the right place for them was a challenge. But luckily we figured it out.
Manwe and Eolus turned out to fly well enough to be moved to the release enclosure Lori at Don Jorge. For Santiago, Sucre and Cusco we found places in different aviaries here at Esperanza Verde.
Construction & Others
Following a successful crowdfunding campaign by the Susy Utzinger Foundation, construction of the new capuchin release enclosure “Mica” has begun. The first poles went into the ground, the structure is in place and now the mesh is being installed. Located deeper in the forest, it will offer an ideal setting for future capuchin releases. We want to thank all the donors of the Susy Utzinger Foundation for making this possible!
Monkey enclosure Rimaq received an update. Douwe, Geyler, Elias and Marlon worked hard to rebuild climbing structures, add new enrichment and put a new floor in the front cage. When the monkeys returned, they immediately started exploring and swinging around.
Geyler, Elias and Liam have been clearing the borders of our 180 hectare protected forest. We do this to mark our land and to prevent accidental settlements or plantations. It is hard, but beautiful work in the middle of the jungle.
Volunteers & Jungle life
With many volunteers joining us over the past months, there is more time to create enrichment for the animals. By making puzzles, hiding food, spreading scents and building structures, we can make life more interesting for animals that are not (yet) able to live outside.
There has also been time for some fun activities. Volunteers enjoyed a (very rainy) daytrip to the Regalia waterfall, a jungle hike led by Machico, and a visit to plantation Don Jorge. Douwe showed them around and let them taste the many delicious fruits growing there.
Join the Team – We Need You!
We’re looking for new volunteers to join us in the coming months! Whether you’re traveling in Peru or dreaming of life in the Amazon, your hands and heart are welcome here.
Get in touch: info@esperanzaverdeperu.com — and come be part of something wild and wonderful.
¡Hasta Proxima!