Jaguar Rescue Center in Puerto Viejo de Limón
Jaguar Rescue Center: a "unique experience to interact with Costa Rica's animals and help a worthwhile cause" (http://www.jaguarrescue.com/)
The Jaguar Rescue Center, el Centro de Rescate Jaguar, was the reason why I chose to visit Puerto Viejo in April 2012, during my school vacation week. The Jaguar Rescue Center is a nonprofit organization devoted to helping the local wildlife, a rehabilitation center for wild animals. Animals there are cared for and treated, if they require medical attention, before being gradually reintroduced back into the wild.
Encar and Sandro, founders of the Jaguar Rescue Center, left Europe and moved to Costa Rica in 2004 after witnessing the killing and mistreatment of the animals there. They began by helping reptiles but, due to the volume of animals that were suffering, the project kept growing until the Jaguar Rescue Center was established in 2008. The educational tours and school field trips at the center help support the cost of running it, and providing food and medical care for the animals.
Before planning my visit, I contacted the Rescue Center via email. I mentioned that I'm a teacher and a freelance writer, and asked if I could interview them. When I heard back that yes, it would be possible, I was thrilled!
After arriving in Puerto Viejo, I settled in at the ¡Claro! Spanish School, where I was renting a room for the week. I called the center to schedule a visit, and prepared questions for the interview. My Spanish tutor from the ¡Claro! School, Matias, helped me edit them. The Jaguar Rescue Center is well-known in the town; in fact, some of the other students at the school were volunteering there.
On the day of my visit, I bicycled down to the center, past the sandy beaches of Puerto Viejo, and into a less touristy part of town. I arrived just before 9:30, which is when the first tour of the day would begin. I took a group tour with Dexter, who taught us about the different kinds of animals at the center.
My tour guide, Dexter, holding a three-toed sloth
After the tour, I was lucky to meet both Encar and Sandro, the couple who founded the Rescue Center. When I first saw Encar, she was assisting a veterinarian who was fighting to save the life of a sloth. Though this was difficult to witness, I was glad to see the animals had access to skilled medical technicians and treatment. Then I spoke with Encar. She was very kind and took the time to answer all my questions. Below is a summary of her responses as I have translated them from the original Spanish.
Me: El Jaguar Centro de Rescate fue fundado en 2008. ¿Cuántos animales hay aquí ahora y cuáles son las especies de animals?
(Translation: The Jaguar Rescue Center was founded in 2008. How many animals are living here and what species of animals?)
Encar: We often find animals; for example, baby animals in the wild that are orphans and/or abandoned. Or someone in town will call us to report one that has been kept illegally as a pet. We take care of them and feed them until they can be be gradually reintroduced to the wild and successfully adapt to that environment again.
Currently, there are roughly 100 different snakes of various breeds, as well as many different kinds of birds (hawks, one owl, one toucan, one black bird), and several mammals --- primarily sloths and howler monkeys. There are thirteen howler monkeys at the center right now.
Me: ¿Hay algunos animales en peligro de extinción?
(Translation: Are any of the animals endangered?)
Encar: Yes, many are endangered, including a baby deer, howler monkeys, a margay (spotted cat), sloths, and many different breeds of snakes. We have nine two-toed sloths and two three-toed ones. Sloths are often injured because dogs will attack them. The snakes are endangered because people are afraid of them or think they're poisonous, even if they are not, so we try to educate the public. We have had many success stories. For instance, we recently treated an opossum for an ear infection, gave it food and plenty of rest, and will be releasing it into the wild again next week!
Diavolino the Margay was brought to the Rescue Center after someone shot his mother and was trying to sell him as a pet. Before he came to the center, he was fed only bread and coffee.
Me: Ustedes fueron inspirados por el bebé jaguar que les fue entregado en 2007. ¿En que otras cosas más o otras animales más se inspiron?
(Translation: You and Sandro were inspired by the baby jaguar you were given in 2007. What else inspires you?)
Encar: Era la gota que era en el vaso. (Literally, this means, "We were the last drop in the glass.") We were their only hope. The government doesn't help. There is no place... no veterinarian offered through government assistance. Yet the people of the town kept asking us for help. We wanted to help the community, and we knew that all these animals would die if someone did not help them.
Me: ¿Qué tipos de peligros hay para las animales aquí en Costa Rica?
(Translation: What types of threats are there for the animals of Costa Rica?)
Encar: Loss of habitat is the biggest factor. Electric wires can also cause injury and so can cars. However, it also depends on the animal. Dogs will attack the sloths. People sometimes kill sloths because they think they are dirty. Lack of education can be dangerous to the snakes, because humans will kill them out of superstition.
Me: Costa Rica es un país con mucha biodiversidad y muchos touristas son atraídos a este país por esta razón. ¿En general, que piena usted del ecotourismo aquí? ¿Cree usted que haya un futuro sustenable para el ecotourismo?
(Translation: Costa Rica is a country with a lot of biodiversity, which attracts a lot of tourism. En general, what do you think of ecotourism? Do you think there is a sustainable future in it?)
Encar: (pauses thoughtfully) I believe ecotourism is the only way that the country can help its economy while preserving its natural landscape. It's a complicated issue because Costa Rica has to make money by selling its land and putting a price on nature. It's essential that they exercise caution when doing so.
I'm optimistic that it can work. However, people must always aim for what's best for the land and animals. If they think they can do a project just to make money without sticking to the zoning laws, then that would make things difficult. They would need better direction... a better director to oversee the project. People can't just take from the land; they need to give back by contributing in some way.
Me: ¡Claro! Muchisimas gracias. Y por favor, cuéntame la historia de este mono bonito, el bebé que está con nosotras hoy. ¿Cómo se llama?
(Translation: That makes sense! Thank you very much. Could you tell me a little bit about the baby monkey who is with us today? What's his name?)
Encar: (smiling, with the tiny baby monkey still wrapped around her neck) His name is Get (pronounced like Jet). We just rescued him. A lady was keeping him in her purse like a pet. He's only three months old. Here, he is getting all the love and affection he needs. He's getting proper nutrition and can socialize with other monkeys. We hope to reintroduce him back into the wild soon.
The two founders of the Jaguar Center, Sandro and Encar (from left to right), with a baby monkey
After thanking Encar one last time, I sauntered back to the spot where I'd left my bike. The second tour of the day was starting up, so it was time for me to go.
I was grateful for the opportunity to visit the Jaguar Rescue Center. My favorite part of the tour was hanging out inside a giant cage with live monkeys inside of it! The Monkey Paradise project is sponsored by the Australian Embassy of Mexico.
Monkeys and Me
Anyone can donate to the rescue center or plan a visit. People can also volunteer their time. The entire organization runs on donations.
Visit their website to learn more and plan your visit!
At the end of my visit, I dug around to find the key for my bike chain. A wild horse, chewing on some grass right beside it, glanced up at me before trotting away. Source: http://www.jaguarrescue.foundation/
