Animal Rescue XVI: Wild animals deserve to live free

Capturing an animal in the wild to make a pet of it is doubly insidious. The pressure on some animal species by the pet trade has caused the complete elimination of their populations in large areas. Macaws are a good example of this. We care for two macaws at Estacion Biologica Laguna de Apoyo, both were wild animals that suffered capture and brutal treatment in captivity.

Bumbelina is a Great Green Macaw. Photo Pablo Somarriba.

Both the macaws have broken wings, as a result of the rough treatment given to them in captivity. These poor animals will never fly again. Because of the cruelty of the commerce in wild animals in Nicaragua, they are permanently condemned to live with humans. At least we can give them natural surroundings where they can be happy. The have large enclosures which permit them to move around and see in all directions, into the sky and the forest. They are allowed to leave their enclosures daily, and they get an ample, varied diet, with lots of interactions with people and other birds.

We kept the two macaws in a common enclosure several months. The Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao), however, has developed a common ailment among captive new world parrots-feather plucking. She plucks not only her own feathers, but also the feathers of her best friend Bumbelina, the Great Green Macaw (Ara ambiguus). We have placed a mesh divider between them, so they can see each other and even touch through the mesh, but no more plucking! Feather plucking is one of many pathological manifestations of wild animals in captivity when they should be free in their natural habitats.

These baby opossums were brought to us by kind-hearted folks who found them abandoned. Photo Pablo Somarriba.

We at GAIA provide shelter for wild animals that have been found injured or unable to survive in the wild without rehabilitation, and pets that owners request to return to the wild. Recently, we received two young common opossums (Didelphis virginianus). These animals were found by a Nicaraguan family who gave them lots of care while they grew. But they found that the animals were needing more space and soon should be ready to be liberated. We took them and quickly returned them to the wild. They lived a few weeks in a hollow tree on our property, before moving on to the forest behind Estacion Biologica in Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve.

This White-throated Magpie-Jay (Calocitta formosa) chick was raised at Estacion Biologica and released into the wild, where he continues to live happily. Photo Jeffrey McCrary.

We have great plans to continue, to improve and amplify our capacity to handle wild animals. We need your help. Would you like to volunteer some time to care for wild animals? Or donate food or money to pay for their well-being? We need lots of cashews, fresh fruit, and materials for cages, among other things. Please contact us if you would like to volunteer or make a donation. Please help us make Nicaragua a better place for all beings.

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Animal rescue XII: Squirrel hunters stopped (GRAPHIC PHOTOS)

Three days after falling victim to hunters from The Peace Project, this squirrel faces a difficult path to recovery. Photo Bart Verdijk.

We can understand someone's desire to hunt, but always when, where and how require adherence to the law, customs and general good sense, as well as a respect for your neighbors. We recently had an encounter with friends of The Peace Project who had a completely different idea of hunting from ours. These folks entered our property and shot a squirrel with a slingshot, after enjoying a visit with their squatter friends. We gave chase and they did not get away. Miraculously, the squirrel was still alive, after a hard impact from a projectile and a long fall.

This friend of The Peace Project threatened Jeffrey McCrary with violence, after losing his prized squirrel hunting trophy. Photo by Lesley Eisenberg.

The visitors had been moving large rocks (without authorization) on the property the squatters are occupying, apparently later having a few drinks and then taking aim at the variegated squirrels which are abundant on our land. We gave chase but they ran and evidently, once out of sight, thought they were safe to walk off their drunken stupor. They were wrong. We caught up with them a few hundred meters away, and they were carrying the poor, wounded squirrel, wrapped into a tee shirt. What they had planned for the wounded animal, we can only guess, but they surrendered it in the midst of threats of violence. Fortunately, many people were witnessing, so they did not act on their threats.

Furious but defeated. This person hunted a squirrel after a visit to The Peace Project in Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve. Hunting is illegal in protected areas in Nicaragua. Photo by Lesley Eisenberg. 

We began nursing the poor squirrel immediately, which basically meant giving him peace, quiet and warmth, so he could rest. He was breathing, but scared, badly wounded, in shock and with a great loss of blood. He slept most of the first day, but began moving the following day and even ate a small amount of food.

The squirrel hunted by visitors of The Peace Project is now badly wounded and semiconscious, but miraculously, alive. Photo by Lesley Eisenberg.

This poor squirrel is a wild animal, not a pet, and deserves to live and die wild, not in a cage. We forget that protected areas are dedicated to them, not to us. We are giving him every opportunity to return to the wild.

This poor wild animal is now defenseless and struggling to live. Photo by Lesley Eisenberg.

We did not think he would survive these wounds, but we decided to give him a chance at life. Photo Bart Verdijk.

These visitors of The Peace Project threatened members of Estacion Biologica, as is frequent and customary. But they lost their squirrel. Photo by Lesley Eisenberg.

Violence follows generations when it is taught. These children accompanied the violent people involved in this illegal hunting incident. Photo by Lesley Eisenberg.

If you know this young man with lots of tattoos or the others pictured herein, please inform us at Estacion Biologica. Photo by Lesley Eisenberg.

Animal Rescue XI: Variegated Squirrel in Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve

Baby squirrels can be mischievous! Photo by Pablo Somarriba.

Some wild animals can be affectionate and cute, especially before they reach sexual maturity. We are so often daunted by how many people want to promote the traffic in wild animals to satisfy their passion for making animals their pets. The wildlife of Nicaragua has been harmed by turning wild animals into pets. This week, we have taken in yet another animal that had fallen into the hands of some misguided individuals using the name "The Peace Project" who thought it would be fun to keep a Variegated Squirrel (Sciurus variegatoides) as a pet. This animal, however, is not a domesticated species, it is a wild animal. What kind of "Peace Project" steals wildlife from its natural habitat?

This juvenile Variegated Squirrel covers himself with his tail to protect himself from predators from above. Photo by Laura Ruysseveldt. 

Several animals make good pets, especially dogs and even cows. These animals, after thousands of years of strictly close association with humans, can no longer live as wild animals. Instead of seeking an animal that lives well in its environment, however, many foreigners put wildlife in Nicaragua at risk of extinction by purchasing wildlife sold as pets from wild animal traffickers.
Estacion Biologica recovered a Variegated Squirrel which had gotten ill from the abuse it had received in the hands of others. The squirrel was ill, weak, and infected with large sore on its side.

The squirrel was very ill when we recovered him. He had a fever and a very large, pus-filled boil on his side. Our biology interns drained and cleaned his wound and assured that the squirrel received plenty of rest and nutritious food. Photo by Laura Ruysseveldt. 

Our interns drained and disinfected the sore, and gave the little guy lots of care and observation. Two days afterward, his disposition changed, he became energetic, curious, and confident. The illness began to subside.

A Variegated Squirrel eats a ripe, juicy mango. Photo by Laura Ruysseveldt.

Wild animals should live and die in their natural habitat, not as toys for humans. We are confident that this squirrel will get the opportunity to return to the wild soon, in spite of the abuse he received at "The Peace Project". We hope to see him running along the branches of the trees in Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve, with other squirrels, instead of captive to foreigners who treat him as a toy. Would you like to work with us to protect wild natural resources in Nicaragua? Please contact us for more information on how you can help, whether in your home country or during a visit to Nicaragua.

This baby squirrel quickly healed of his wound, although the hair returned slowly. He is still wild and living with the other squirrels in the trees above Estacion Biologica Laguna de Apoyo. Photo by Laura Ruysseveldt.

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Wild animals deserve to be free, not in cages

The rights of animals as pets have recently been raised to the status of law in Nicaragua, with the passage of Law 747, for the protection and welfare of domestic animals and domesticated wild animals. We, however, argue that a fundamental flaw exists in this legislation, in treating wild animals in the same way as domestic animals. Dogs, cats, cows and other animals have co-evolved in intimate association with humans, so that now, they are not viable in populations independent of interactions with humans. On the other hand, the animals we see in the following photos have not co-evolved as pets. They are wildlife, not pets. Putting these animals in cages makes them prisoners, not friends of humans. They all need to be free to live and die in their natural habitat, not forced to be close to humans. 

FUNDECI/GAIA and Movimiento Ambiental Guardabarranco  are collaborating in a campaign to stop the cruel treatment of wild animals in the pet trade in our area. We have liberated several animals that were mistreated and we hope to achieve more liberations. 

This Chestnut-billed Toucan (Ramphastos swainsonii) lives in depressingly cramped quarters in a preschool in Masaya. Photo by Ilse Diaz. 

Gimme five! Lemme out! Photo by Ilse Diaz. 

These squirrels are depressed because they do not belong in cages. Why do people think this is a good thing to do? Photo by Ilse Diaz. 

These variegated squirrels (Sciurus variegatoides) are in very cramped quarters, and have become listless. They will die of sadness if their conditions do not change soon. Photo by Ilse Diaz.

The poor health of this variegated squirrel is evident from his patchy fur. He is extremely unhappy in a cramped cage which is torturing him. Photo by Ilse Diaz.

This Chestnut-mandibled Toucan (Ramphastos swainsonii) can not even hop in his cage, because the roof is so low. He only has less than one meter of vertical clearance. Photo by Ilse Diaz. 

This White-fronted Amazon Parrot is all alone in a small cage. Photo by Ilse Diaz.

These two Mealy Amazon Parrots (Amazona farinosa) can not even think of flying. Photo by Ilse Diaz.

Raccoons definitely do not belong in cages. They should be free to roam in the forest. This is cruelty! Photo by Ilse Diaz.

These sad photographs of cruelty to wild animals were shared with us by Ilse Diaz of Movimiento Ambiental Guardabarranco in Masaya, Nicaragua. Would you like to volunteer with us to stop the trade in wild animals in Nicaragua? Please contact us for more information.

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Video-variegated squirrel in Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve, Nicaragua

Dozens of mammal species can be found in Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve, Nicaragua, although most mammals are, by nature, retiring and difficult to observe. Among the exceptions is the variegated squirrel (Sciurus variegatoides). This species ranges from southern Mexico to Panama, but as its name suggests, its color pattern varies from one part of its range to another. Ours (subspecies S. v. dorsalis) are black and white, suggestive of an inverse polecat coloration. They are a prominent component of the wildlife, very visible and active during the day. For more pictures of the squirrels of Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve, click here.

We have rescued several variegated squirrels over the years. One baby female survived a long fall (which killed one of its siblings) when Montezuma Oropendolas attacked the nest on the property of Estacion Biologica. She was so young and small that should could not climb, yet too large for her mother to carry her. We kept her, initially feeding her milk with a syringe. She knew where to find milk and a mango or banana awaiting her in the kitchen, and soon was able to scale the kitchen table.

A rescued variegated squirrel drinks milk and enjoys a neck scratch. Photo by Jeffrey McCrary.

Eventually, she built a nest in a tree overhead and stopped sleeping in the armpit of the station director! She continued to visit for a few months longer, but each day became less interested in people. Today she is a breeding adult and no longer descends from the trees to visit us.
Local wild squirrels have readily accepted our rescued animals. They are very social animals, and each morning, they play ecstatically, chasing each other round the trees. Below is another picture of a rescued squirrel who enjoyed his freedom early but loved to visit us - especially when we had peanuts or cooked red beans! He is also now a member of our neighborhood squirrel clan.

Special thanks to David McKnight for this video! 

FUNDECI/GAIA manages a long term monitoring program on the flora and fauna of Laguna de Apoyo Nature Reserve, and we are involved in several actions to promote the protection of native flora and fauna in the area. We need volunteers and donations. Volunteers can help by doing such things as: assisting in field work to monitor birds, rodents, bats, moths, butterflies, monkeys, fish or birds; processing data; management and/or maintenance assistance at Estacion Biologica; reforestation; and other areas. If you can not give time as a volunteer, please consider making a small donation to us (apoyo@gaianicaragua.org via paypal). Our budget is small and needs are large.
By participating in one of our programs such as the Laguna de Apoyo Spanish School, you also help. Would you like to learn or improve your Spanish? All our students provide volunteer hours in reforestation and other conservation activities. And a portion of the proceeds of the Spanish training goes directly to our study and conservation of wildlife and their habitats. Or you can visit and hire a guide for nature tourism in our area. Our guides know the local fauna better than anyone! Please let us know how we can help you.

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Our newest friend in Laguna de Apoyo

A variegated squirrel was raised be the volunteers at Estacion Biologica. Photo by Jeffrey McCrary.

We have a frequent visitor to Estacion Biologica these days. He is a variegated squirrel (Sciurus variegatoides), a common species in the area. He is not yet mature, but he is reaching maturity rapidly. The variegated squirrel is among the most abundant and visible of wildlife species in the Pacific region of Nicaragua. Our variety in Laguna de Apoyo usually has a black back, sometimes dark or even light brown. The undersides and sides are white in our animals, although in other places, they might be red or dark. 

The little guy has taken to some of the staff, especially to Wyatt. Please come by and visit us and play with our new friend!

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