Amazon critter conservation

The Amazon rain forest teems with life – a staggering diversity of flora and fauna. But as we learned from Shauna’s research on black market animal trading, not everyone understands or appreciates the need to protect the organisms that live here. Last year we visited the manatee rescue and rehabilitation center (Instituto de Investigaciones de la Amazonia Peruana) and learned about how manatees are killed for meat and traded live, often leaving orphan babies. The lucky ones end up at this place, where they are lovingly cared for by the Institute staff until they are ready to go back into the wild. 

Yesterday during our visit to the river port town of Bellavista, we were offered a boat tour with a stop at an animal conservation center. We were so happy that we accepted, because the boat ride and destination were a pure delight. The Centro De Custodia Temporal De Fauna is a temporary home to a variety of critters that have been dropped there by police that have confiscated the animals or individuals that have somehow come by animals that need medical care due to injury. While there are cages, most are open and the residents have a bit of freedom to move about. This day, we were introduced to sloths (cutest dang animals ever!), gorgeous parrots, anacondas, enormous turtles, ocelots (male and pregnant female!), and monkeys. We were allowed to cuddle a little bit with the sloths and snakes (photos say it all). It is encouraging to see people doing such work – caring for these creatures and raising awareness about the need for rain forest species conservation.