Friday, April 19, 2013

Spring Update

 

Toucan Rescue Ranch

Spring Update!

In Jan and Feb. we had a wonderful film crew staying with us from Sweden!  They were making a documentary about The Toucan Rescue Ranch.  It was great fun, but very exhausting with guests here in the B+B as well, animals coming into the rescue center and interviews!!  We are glad that the filming is over, but miss everyone dearly.  We did not expect the experience to be so emotionally draining, and actually they were able to film so much of the day to day operations here at the ranch, that indeed it does get very emotional at times....new animals, following the wildlife inspectors on a raid to rescue birds and a kinkajou etc.
 
My great friend Terrie (Millie book author) came to visit and help for 10 days, she was terrific and I could not of done it all without her help!!  Thank you Terrie!!  Anytime you are ready to move down just let us know!
So, I am going to do a photo update!
Meet Tabu!
The name means forbidden and sacred, which he is,
Tabu is an Oncilla one of the most endangered cats in Costa Rica and the smallest of the wild cats.  He came in from Cartago over the holidays, he showed up in peoples back yards looking for food.
It is a long story, but he came here and 4 different wildlife folks have been here to evaluate him and people that have worked with feral cats, and everyone basically thinks the same thing...he is used to people because at an early stage in his life he was probably someones pet.  Poached out of the forest as a kitten, then as he is getting larger he is more scary and can be dangerous, and they probably let him go.
I really wanted to release him, but because he is so endangered and looks to humans for food, it was decided that he should stay here.  He is about the same size as a house cat.  We have been very fortunate and two of our guests gave very nice donations and we are building him a huge enclosure!

More new arrivals:




 
 

Meet Max!
Max came in from a horrible living situation, he was confiscated out of a terrible place where he was chained up living inside of an old washing machine barrel.  He is having some neurological muscle trouble from being on such a tight chain, but after a few months recovering he is now in the same enclosure with Jou Jou, our resident kinkajou and they are so in love it is just precious to see.  Take a look at youtube video and on facebook, Toucan Rescue Ranch to see them playing together!
Baby Natalie a tiny tiny newborn sloth has been with us for 2 months now and if finally getting along well, it was up and down several times, but now she is eating well and making good progress!
Stella came in recently from a road stop during Easter break.  The wildlife dept. sets up road blocks to inspect cars for contraband, and they found little Stella poached away from her mother in the trunk of this man's car.  Totally against the law to take wild animals from the forest.
For Stella it was a huge painful ordeal...when they took her out of the tree, or away from her mother they unfortunately pulled her legs and for several days she was unable to even move.  With walking and climbing therapy she is doing really well!!!
 
Zoom Zoom and Flash, our Striped owl babies are now grown up and learning to hunt in this beautiful owl training center that we recently completed!!
Meet Armandillo!!  He is a baby 9 banded armadillo that was saved from a severe dog attack.  The first time I have raised an armadillo and I am learning all kinds of interesting facts about them!!  His shell is still not hard, and is drinking a great formula that we make up daily for him...so cute!

Millie is 6 years old!!

Happy Birthday Millie!

 
Well that is a brief update!!  It is really only the highlights, so much is happening here at The Toucan Rescue Ranch, we are updating Facebook weekly, so please sign up!
 
Follow us on Twitter! 
 
And please check out our new website!!  www.toucanrescueranch.org