Greetings from Manzanillo!!!
Here's a quick summary of our findings after our first week of intensive night patrols to protect sea turtles nesting on the beaches of Playa Manzanillo de Cobano, from the quebrada manzanillo to the south side of the Bongo River.
Rainsong's volunteers began the patrols Dec. 20, Sunday night. The patrols have been able to rescue 14 sea turtle nests in just 6 nights [dec 20-25] !!! All were the olive ridley. The patrols erase the turtles' tracks to and from the nesting site, so that the poachers cannot find the nests. 4 nests were partially ravaged by raccoons, and 2 other nests were found already pillaged by nestrobbers [humans].
Obviously there are plenty of sea turtles that call manzanillo home, so we are very committed to continuing our efforts !
Walter Cuendis Lopez, rainsong's patrol captain, has proven to be a true sea turtle lover !!! 'Tortuga ninja' ['ninja turtle'] is his local nickname, since he has been a sea turtle advocate for years at manzanillo ! He is tireless, diligent, and his perseverance inspires the volunteers during the all-night-long patrols.
He has made this project his own for his love for the sea turtles, and Rainsong could not manage without Walter's dedication to the protection patrols.
walter is knowledgeable regarding tides and crossing rivers safely, and he carefully guides the rainsong volunteers throughout the night. Rainsong staff has agreed that walter deserves compensation for his commitment, and we are now paying him a salary for his contribution as supervisor and captain of the patrols.
Walter has solicited the help of many locals living on the beachfront in Manzanillo, to help us keep human predators away from the sea turtles' nests.
We are just beginning this project, and we already have a wonderful group of locals cooperating with our efforts. This is very encouraging !
Rainsong volunteer ella mae walker was assisting Walter for the first week of patrols. She came to rainsong from a leatherback and black turtle conservation project in ostional, and she has contributed much knowledge and practical advice. After working for a month in Ostional, where two separate sea turtle protection projects have been running for multiple years, she has thoroughly enjoyed starting a new project where the surrounding towns are less educated and open to new ideas. The payoff has been unbelievable and the short time spent in Manzanillo is the highlight of her time spent in Costa Rica thus far.
Christmas night, rainsong patrol volunteer, jeannie deibel, was thrilled to experience the nesting ritual of an olive ridley sea turtle,
for the first time in her life ! she is very excited !
Saturday, dec 26, mary lynn perry, justin taylor, and patrol captain walter cuendis were at the playa carmen fiestas entrance, carrying out community outreach to educate the public about the sea turtles' plight.
The general public seems unaware of the serious situation sea turtles are facing, locally and globally. Many people were responsive and interested.
also, we recruited several other local boys from manzanillo to help walter in the night patrols.
SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES PLANNED AT PLAYA MANZANILLO SITE :
-thursday, dec 31, 2009, 3pm, restaurant atardecer -- Rainsong staff will be holding a meeting with the manzanillo community group that is cooperating with our sea turtle protection project, then we are all going up the beach, to the north side of quebrada 'chapeton', to begin intensive clearing off of the driftwood blocking the nesting sites for the turtles.
LEATHERBACK nesting season is upon us, and we intend to continue laboring to clear the driftwood from above the high tide line, to allow the leatherbacks room for nesting.
the ridleys that our patrols have observed so far, are laying their eggs below the high tide line, since the soft powdery sand optimal for nesting found above the high tide line is covered by literally tons of driftwood.
From our online investigations, we've found that it is unlikely that many of the eggs laid below the high tide line will actually hatch, the change of temperature that occurs when the nest is covered by the sea water will affect the eggs' viability drastically, and reduce the hatch % to a very low percentage.
Anyone who can send us links to more data or studies on this .........PLEASE DO !!!
NEW YEARS' DAY , jan 1, 2010:
restaurant atardecer - while enjoying the festivities of the annual new years' day party at the restaurant atardecer, rainsong staff and members of the manzanilla conservation group will also be continuing community outreach by talking with the locals about the sea turtles.
hopefully we can attract more people to help us with clearing the driftwood away so the leatherbacks will be able to nest.
we will be collecting signatures for a petition to solicit stricter enforcement of existing laws that protect sea turtles, and the legislation of better protection laws in the near future.
rainsong staff will also spend time with the kids there, spreading 'fun learning ' and giving prizes and gifts to the kids.
we have a wonderful collection of educational materials [donated by rainsong volunteers] regarding many conservation topics, and especially sea turtles.
we're all sure to have fun !
and begin the new year with hope and concern for the sea turtles at playa manzanillo !
JANUARY
we are very anxious to attend a meeting planned between rainsong staff, refuge representatives, and pretoma officials, possibly even MINAET officials, at the manzanilla site.
the exact date in january has yet to be set by the participants.
there are many subjects to be discussed, and several serious challenges to be resolved.
the priority for rainsong is to acquire orientation from pretoma in the handling of the removal /rescue of the turtles' eggs, to be then safely transferred and guarded in a hatchery area in the refuge.
LEATHERBACK nesting season begins in january, according to many documents we have read.
so we want to be prepared to rescue all nests found during the rainsong patrols and tranfer the eggs to the secured hatchery area.
we hope the strategy meeting can take place on a sunday, so that rainsong's friends, biologists carlos porras and natalia corrales can join us, bringing their expertise and experience with sea turtle conservation to the table.
WE HAVE HIGH HOPES FOR A SAFER YEAR AHEAD FOR SEA TURTLES AT PLAYA MANZANILLO !!!
happy turtles,
Monday, December 28, 2009
Friday, December 11, 2009
student scholarships
The Rainsong Uniform and Colegio Scholarship program is twofold:
1.FREE UNIFORMS FOR PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS - we intend to provide uniforms for elementary school children in our area whose families have limited resources, especially families headed by single mothers, or grandparents raising their grandchildren. There are many families who cannot afford to buy the uniforms necessary for their children to attend primary [or elementary] school.
2. COLEGIO SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM - we will provide tuition and fees necessary for Rainsong's selected sponsored students in 6th grade whose families cannot afford to pay for their attendance in colegio [high school - 7th grade & on].
These sponsored students will also enjoy many other benefits from their being involved in the rainsong projects.
For example :
1.private tutoring from rws volunteers in english, math, or any area they are struggling with.
2. also, a series of intensive classes involving global conservation issues, to school them regarding the planetary picture, so that they can begin to share their knowledge with the elementary students in their area's elementary schools, in presentations organized & supervised by rainsong staff, using the world globes provided by Greenwave as teaching tools.
3. help with the collecting of saplings in the forest, bagging the saplings, upgrading the trees to larger bags when necessary, caring for veggie gardens at the rws sanctuary, and other opportunities for learning skills that could provide them later on with a profession as a biodynamic gardener/landscaper or provide them a background for a career as a conservationist/reforester.
4. experience with the animal care in the rescue center.
5.animal husbandry skills - hands on - at Rainsong : goats, horses, chickens, etc.
6. a penpal program: we already have a stateside school ready to be the penpal friends stateside. the penpal program will be online in order to also teach computer skills that anyone in almost any job needs. The penpal program is also another great way to teach them english !!! since the american kids will be writing initially in english.
7. Sea turtle patrol program that will involve the students and their families.
1.FREE UNIFORMS FOR PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS - we intend to provide uniforms for elementary school children in our area whose families have limited resources, especially families headed by single mothers, or grandparents raising their grandchildren. There are many families who cannot afford to buy the uniforms necessary for their children to attend primary [or elementary] school.
2. COLEGIO SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM - we will provide tuition and fees necessary for Rainsong's selected sponsored students in 6th grade whose families cannot afford to pay for their attendance in colegio [high school - 7th grade & on].
These sponsored students will also enjoy many other benefits from their being involved in the rainsong projects.
For example :
1.private tutoring from rws volunteers in english, math, or any area they are struggling with.
2. also, a series of intensive classes involving global conservation issues, to school them regarding the planetary picture, so that they can begin to share their knowledge with the elementary students in their area's elementary schools, in presentations organized & supervised by rainsong staff, using the world globes provided by Greenwave as teaching tools.
3. help with the collecting of saplings in the forest, bagging the saplings, upgrading the trees to larger bags when necessary, caring for veggie gardens at the rws sanctuary, and other opportunities for learning skills that could provide them later on with a profession as a biodynamic gardener/landscaper or provide them a background for a career as a conservationist/reforester.
4. experience with the animal care in the rescue center.
5.animal husbandry skills - hands on - at Rainsong : goats, horses, chickens, etc.
6. a penpal program: we already have a stateside school ready to be the penpal friends stateside. the penpal program will be online in order to also teach computer skills that anyone in almost any job needs. The penpal program is also another great way to teach them english !!! since the american kids will be writing initially in english.
7. Sea turtle patrol program that will involve the students and their families.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
End Wildlife Electrocutions in Costa Rica
Here is a recent article published concerning the frequent electrocution of arboreal animals in Costa Rica...
Every day, monkeys, kinkajous, sloths and other arboreal
wildlife are brutally electrocuted on Costa Rica’s electrical
transmission system. Based on the hundreds of electro-
cuted animals reported to local wildlife rescue groups in
2008/2009, projected annual electrocution estimates in the
thousands are reasonable. Escalating real estate develop-
ment and the expansion of the electrical grid have intensi-
fied the problem.
These deaths and injuries are preventable: when power
lines and transformer wires are shielded, animals are not
harmed. Some shielded hardware has been installed in
parts of the country, but the higher costs of this safe tech-
nology are considered by the power industry to be unaf-
fordable, so it is not integrated into the industry’s current
business model.
Other methods to prevent electrocutions have been tried:
monkey bridges, branch- and vine-cutting operations, and
wider power line spacing. Although these methods can
reduce the number of electrocutions, none is an effective,
long-term solution.
Costa Rica lost half of its monkey population in the 12-year
period between 1995 and 2007. Change in power industry
policy and actual practice in the field is needed now. Work-
ing together, public and private institutions can solve the
electrocution problem by calling for and contributing to the
development of a comprehensive, strategic solution. Creative
approaches to the cost issues, including new product sourc-
ing and technology design, are critical. If shielded or buried
power lines became a best practice - the default practice for
the power industry - the suffering and death of arboreal wild-
life on Costa Rica’s electrical transmission system would end.
To respond to this call to action, email:
noelectrocutions@gmail.com
Every day, monkeys, kinkajous, sloths and other arboreal
wildlife are brutally electrocuted on Costa Rica’s electrical
transmission system. Based on the hundreds of electro-
cuted animals reported to local wildlife rescue groups in
2008/2009, projected annual electrocution estimates in the
thousands are reasonable. Escalating real estate develop-
ment and the expansion of the electrical grid have intensi-
fied the problem.
These deaths and injuries are preventable: when power
lines and transformer wires are shielded, animals are not
harmed. Some shielded hardware has been installed in
parts of the country, but the higher costs of this safe tech-
nology are considered by the power industry to be unaf-
fordable, so it is not integrated into the industry’s current
business model.
Other methods to prevent electrocutions have been tried:
monkey bridges, branch- and vine-cutting operations, and
wider power line spacing. Although these methods can
reduce the number of electrocutions, none is an effective,
long-term solution.
Costa Rica lost half of its monkey population in the 12-year
period between 1995 and 2007. Change in power industry
policy and actual practice in the field is needed now. Work-
ing together, public and private institutions can solve the
electrocution problem by calling for and contributing to the
development of a comprehensive, strategic solution. Creative
approaches to the cost issues, including new product sourc-
ing and technology design, are critical. If shielded or buried
power lines became a best practice - the default practice for
the power industry - the suffering and death of arboreal wild-
life on Costa Rica’s electrical transmission system would end.
To respond to this call to action, email:
noelectrocutions@gmail.com
Monday, November 30, 2009
End sale of sea turtle eggs
Costa Rica is home to two of the Eastern Pacific's largest olive ridley sea turtle nesting sites at Nancite Beach and Ostional Beach. Ostional Beach has a government monitored program to patrol the beach and also allow the community to harvest a certain percentage of the sea turtle eggs to be sold at market. However, many people from other areas take advantage of this arrangement by selling turtle eggs from other beaches and claim that they have harvested them at Ostional. The result is that the overall population of olive ridleys had declined. The population of olive ridleys at Nancite has dropped over 90% in the past 30 years. The population at Ostional has remained stable, but there is little or no data available on other beaches to gauge the overall population decline in the area.
Rainsong Wildlife Sanctuary is partnering with PRETOMA Sea Turtle Restoration Program and private landowners to create a program for monitoring and protection key nesting sites for both leatherback turtles and olive ridleys on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. The leatherback is listed as critically endangered and is the top priority for this sea turtle protection program.
Rainsong Wildlife Sanctuary is seeking government and private support to end the sale of sea turtle eggs in Costa Rica to increase the viability of turtle populations on all beaches in the country, particularly those where there is little or no monitoring and enforcement.
Another threat to the leatherback and olive ridley populations in this area is the agricultural development occurring at the Caletas-Ario National Wildlife Refuge (http://www.pretoma.org/sea-turtle-wildlife-refuge-bulldozed-by-farming-company/) carried out by Agropecuaria Caletas S.A.
Detailed information on the olive ridley and leatherbacks can be found at:
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/turtles/oliveridley.htm
http://www.fws.gov/northflorida/seaturtles/turtle%20factsheets/olive-ridley-sea-turtle.htm
http://www.eurocbc.org/seaturtletrackingconservationproject_08mar2006page1886.html
Rainsong Wildlife Sanctuary is partnering with PRETOMA Sea Turtle Restoration Program and private landowners to create a program for monitoring and protection key nesting sites for both leatherback turtles and olive ridleys on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. The leatherback is listed as critically endangered and is the top priority for this sea turtle protection program.
Rainsong Wildlife Sanctuary is seeking government and private support to end the sale of sea turtle eggs in Costa Rica to increase the viability of turtle populations on all beaches in the country, particularly those where there is little or no monitoring and enforcement.
Another threat to the leatherback and olive ridley populations in this area is the agricultural development occurring at the Caletas-Ario National Wildlife Refuge (http://www.pretoma.org/sea-turtle-wildlife-refuge-bulldozed-by-farming-company/) carried out by Agropecuaria Caletas S.A.
Detailed information on the olive ridley and leatherbacks can be found at:
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/turtles/oliveridley.htm
http://www.fws.gov/northflorida/seaturtles/turtle%20factsheets/olive-ridley-sea-turtle.htm
http://www.eurocbc.org/seaturtletrackingconservationproject_08mar2006page1886.html
New rescue: Franceska
Our newest animal rescue is baby Franceska. She is a very young howler monkey whose mother was recently electrocuted on an uninsulated eletric line in Delicias on the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica. The baby's instinct is to hold onto her mother as long as she possibly can, even though she was probably already dead. Nearby residents spotted the gruesome site and called Rainsong Wildlife Sanctuary. We quickly sent out a rescue team that was met by the electric company to rescue the baby monkey.
Franceska is still in a very fearful state and trying to get used to her surrroundings, but she is eating well and has adapted to her life in the rescue center. She has quickly become friends with Doodles and Evee, the other baby howler monkeys and enjoys regular human contact, care and nutrition.
Until recently, most power lines in this area were not insulated a frightening number of arboreal mammal species (monkeys, kinkajous, sloths) were being electrocuted due to this lack of insulation. Costa Rica lost half of its monkey population in the 12-year period between 1995 and 2007 (http://www.nosarawildlife.com/call%20to%20action.pdf).
Immediate action to resolve this problem is needed now. Fortunately, a few areas of the Nicoya Peninsula have begun to install insulation on the power lines, but similar action is needed in all areas to save the existing monkey population.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Breathe Documentary Teaser
Our dear friend Drew at the Breathe Foundation has posted a short introduction to the full length movie [to be released soon] produced by Breathe.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Tarzan the Gatekeeper
here's a little bit about tarzan, our monkey man.
he's the life of the party at rainsong !
tarzan had a pretty rough start in life.
as a tiny infant, he witnessed his mother's murder by people who captured him for a pet.
then he suffered unknown abuses and neglect from his captors.
they quickly tired of caring for him, so they set him out in the trees behind their house, thinking 'well, that's the end of that problem.'
a tiny lil baby capuchin monkey, all alone with no troop to protect him, has ZERO chance of survival in the wild.
a few hours after he was abandoned in the woods, a troop of howler monkeys came along and began to tear him to shreds.
his piercing screams as he was being killed caught the attention of people nearby and they came running to see what was happening.
they were able to rescue him from the troop of howler monkeys, and then they rushed him to the vet's clinic in nearby cobano.
[we happen to know all these details about his sad start in life because some of the kids of the families involved actually visited rainsong's rescue center a few months later, and they were eager to share all the details about this poor baby capuchin monkey]
the vet saved his life, but she could not save his left arm, it was dangling by a shred of skin, and had to be amputated.
he was kept at the vet's clinic in a small kennel box for 6 weeks after being rescued, while recuperating from his surgery and the numerous wounds on his little body.
after such a terrible ordeal, we brought him to rainsong, and began to care for his wounds, both physical and emotional.
we named him tarzan.
tarzan immediately began to adjust to being treated with love and respect, and he quickly became content with his circumstances.
his habitat is located near the front gate of rainsong's homebase, so gradually tarzan began to take it upon himself to announce visitors, strange dogs, snakes in the yard, anything out of the ordinary in the rescue center.
he even keeps inventory of the number of people in the complex.
we rarely leave the rescue center unmanned, but once, when we ALL went to a dinner party,
as we walked out the gate, the last ones to go,
he began to cry out, knowing that he was being left alone.
we could hear his cries even 200 meters down the road.
after that incident, we try to never leave the place totally unmanned.
tarzan is now almost 2 years old.
he's still a juvenile with a lot of growing ahead of him.
now he is a very happy monkey, content and adjusted to his lifestyle at rainsong.
he adores all the attention he gets as the gatekeeper,
everyone who comes in the gate gets a chance to shake his hand [or foot !].
we let him out of his habitat every morning for an hour or two, to enjoy a romp in the canopy at the rescue center.
he's a little clown, jumping tree to tree.
he eats every spider in sight !
and any other bug is on the run when tarzan is loose.
also, he'll sometimes run into the kitchen to look for crackers or cookies to steal.
he's ecstatic bouncing thru the treetops, and he does quite well with just one arm.
and he's always peeping down to make sure he has an audience !
he's a doll, and everyone at rainsong loves him very much !!!
happy trails,
mary at rainsong
update for baby anteater
Today is the 5th day of our caring for the preemie baby anteater. What was at first a little bump below his umbilical cord, has bloomed into a real live anteater penis !!!
so.......IT'S A BOY !!! Everybody light up your cigars ! His hair is growing out pretty quick, he's no longer preemie 'pink'. He's still strong and very interested in drinking his formula. We have 3 new baby goats at rainsong, so we are able to provide fresh raw goat's milk for him now, full of enzymes and antibodies. We mix it half and half with the soy-milk formula. He obviously likes the mix with goat's milk much better, and yesterday he learned to pull the nipple into his mouth and suck on it.
This is a major accomplishment for his survival ! We are now able to give him up to 4cc's per feeding , now that he has caught on to how it's done ! We've spaced the feedings to every 3 or 4 hours, in sync with his waking spells. We are using a 1cc syringe [to avoid aspiration, or liquid in the airways and lungs],
with the mothering nipple attachment found at the link below. Today we added to his formula an extra spoonful of honey as a natural laxative. Anteaters are kin to sloths, and only poo about once a week. But it's time for our little fellow to purge his intestines of all the prebirth gunk. So we also gently massage his lower area with a warm cloth to stimulate his intestinal movements.
In the next few days we'll offer him some termites, and see how that goes !
We confirmed all of our caretaking protocols with Wildlife DVM Martha Cordero Salas,
the administrative vet at the Las Pumas Wildcat Rescue Center in Canas, Guanacaste, Costa Rica.
Thanks for all your advice and counsel, Martha !
Martha has successfully rescued and saved at least 10 tamandua anteater babies over the last 5 years. Most of them were also orphaned when their moms were killed by people's dogs. A few were victims of traffic accidents. Each year in Costa Rica many anteaters get hit by cars as they attempt to cross the roads. They move quite slowly, [it's that darn sloth blood !] even when on the ground and many people don't even bother to slow down and let them pass !
What's the rush !!! ??? !!!
We live in paradise, why hurry ?
'hurry up and wait, hurry up and wait !'
None of Martha's saves were premature spontaneous aborts, and she is very concerned and skeptical about his chances for survival,so saving this lil' guy is quite miraculous !!!
EVERY FELLOW PLANETARY GUARDIAN OUT THERE - PLEASE LIGHT A CANDLE FOR THIS LIL' GUY !!!
SPONSORS :
We need some help with acquiring more mothering nipples for our baby anteater, and other infants that come to the rescue center. We'd like to ask if any of you would be willing to order some more nipples for rainsong [see the links below], and mail them to us ? Best if you live stateside, since that's where the company ships from.
Thanks for any help at all with this ! Rainsong's mailing address is on our website www.rainsongsanctuary.com, along with instructions for mailing packages to Costa Rica.
http://www.squirrelsandmore.com/category/1520/nipples.htm
mothering silicone nipples by classic, a package of 20
NAME FOR OUR LIL' GUY ?
We're kinda thinking of holding an online bidding for the honor of naming this lil' baby, to raise $ for his continued care [trips to the vet, meds, isomil soy formula, etc.]. Would any of you out there in cyberspace be interested in that ? Can anyone out there send us suggestions for an online forum location that would work well for this event ?
Or just send us your suggestions for a name !
Well, gotta go, feeding time again......
Friday, November 6, 2009
Animals Need Love, Too!!!
This is a letter that was recently composed by Mary Perry and Alexander O. Dreussi...
Rainsong Wildlife Sanctuary has been repeatedly reprimanded by MINAET officials in the last 6 years since we founded the wildlife rescue center in Cabuya de Cobano [in march 2005], in regards to our handling of the mammal infants that are often brought to our rescue center, specifically that we handle the animals too much, that there's too much contact between animal and caretaker.
However, there exists a plethora of scientific and anecdotal evidence that shows that mammalian babies need such contact, and indeed would be damaged, physically and emotionally, if NOT handled.
As Henry Harlow, the famous psychologist, once said, “"Love is an emotion that does not need to be bottle- or spoon-fed, and we may be sure that there is nothing to be gained by giving lip service to love."
It is our belief [and an established scientific FACT ] that withholding affection and handling from the infant animals will cause them harm and will lead to a higher mortality rate.
Harlow’s findings showed this quite directly. In the course of an experiment looking at infant monkeys, he noticed that the animals became strongly attached to the cloth diapers put in their cages. When the diapers were removed, the baby monkeys often threw violent temper tantrums. Harlow decided to further research this finding. His research is best summed up in his own words: "We had also discovered during some allied observational studies that a baby monkey raised on a bare wire-mesh cage floor survives with difficulty, if at all, during the first five days of life. If a wire-mesh cone is introduced, the baby does better; and, if the cone is covered with terry cloth, husky, healthy, happy babies evolve. It takes more than a baby and a box to make a normal monkey. We were impressed by the possibility that … contact comfort might be a very important variable in the development of the infant's affection for the mother." (Harlow, American Psychologist, 1958). The most important point in the quote comes in the first sentence: in absence of some form of tactile stimulation, without any sort of touch or contact, infants are more likely to die than survive. A small amount of contact with a wire cone is better, and contact with something resembling an actual mother is best of all. Contact with living, breathing beings is by far the best chance an infant has of surviving those first few critical months of development.
The vast majority of studies on contact with infant animals come to the exact same conclusion. A researcher at Berkeley, an esteemed university in the United States, summarizes that "Touch also promotes health in infants and forms the platform for appropriate social behavior in later years." Banerjee, the researcher at Berkeley, also notes that "These findings suggest that the healing power of touch is not the mystical fringe theory that the catch phrase may suggest, but instead a real possibility in the realm of medical science." Harlow also weighs in on the necessity for contact to develop social and emotional health. He describes monkeys raised in bare wire cages, saying that the monkeys “suffer total maternal deprivation and, even more important, have no opportunity to form affectional ties with their peers. We have already reported the progressively deepening syndrome of compulsive nonnutritional sucking, repetitive stereotypes movements, detachment from environment, hostility directed outwardly towards others and inwardly towards the animal’s own body, and inability to form adequate social or heterosexual attachment to others when such opportunities are provided in preadolescence, adolescence, or adulthood.” Without such important developments, the monkeys are so retarded in their development as to be unable to function normally in groups with other animals of their own species.
Rainsong's staff and volunteers, through contact with the animals at the rescue center, are providing the animals in our care with the means to grow into able-bodied and emotionally healthy individuals. Without such contact, the animals would be permanently crippled, making impossible any kind of quality life for them, in captivity or released.
The benefits of contact reach far beyond emotional and psychological ones. Cerulli, Berry, and Alleva (2003) experimented with the effects of tactile stimulation by mothers on infants. They concluded that “it has been shown that disruptions in the mother–infant relationship result in neuroendocrine, neurochemical and behavioural changes in the adult organism,” indicating that the bond enjoyed between an adult and an infant has far-reaching implications on the infant.
For orphaned animals at the sanctuary the only possible source of maternal affection comes from their caretakers.
A study by Schanberg and Field (1987) demonstrated that “rat pups that were deprived of tactile stimulation from their mothers showed a decline in immunity compared to rat pups who received normal contact with their mothers” in an article published
in Child Development, a leading scientific journal.
Numerous experiments have shown that tactile stimulation, or TOUCH, is important in species ranging from monkeys to panda bears to dolphins and samples of nearly every other species in between, further underscoring the importance of our contact with the orphans at the sanctuary.
All animals require some sort of contact in order to thrive emotionally, socially, physically, and mentally.
The IMPORTANCE of this contact can not be overstressed.
In addition to all the other points, it is crucial to note that many of the animals at the sanctuary will never be allowed to be released by MINAET. Many of these animals, due to the unfortunate circumstances which brought them to the rescue center, are either permanently handicapped due to injury or were rescued too young to learn the skills they would need to survive in their natural habitat as a released adult individual.
These animals, as permanent residents of the rescue center, are very important elements for the conservation education necessary to protect animals' rights by bringing about a change in attitude thru interaction with the public, facilitating the cultivation of appreciation and respect for the beauty of mother nature in all her forms.
Having a maladjusted animal, lacking social skills and possibly violent (all due to lack of contact as an infant) would endanger both the animal and the caretakers at the sanctuary unnecessarily.
Based on overwhelming scientific proofs from controlled studies carried out to examine this subject, we find that your criticisms are scientifically unfounded.
In summary, the contact with the animals in our care can not be further reduced without risking the health of both animal and caretaker.
With this in mind, we respectfully announce our intentions to continue our caretaking with the animals' best interests as a priority, based on the overwhelmingly positive benefits and scientific proofs in favor of nurturing all infant animals.
Once again, we appeal to MINAET officials to focus on the animals' welfare, as proven by science, instead of dictating bureaucratic policies that are not founded in SCIENTIFIC FACT.
It is painful and disappointing to everyone at Rainsong that those who should act as our allies in our efforts to save what's left of the wildlife in our area of Costa Rica, have repeatedly behaved as if they are our adversaries, hindering our efforts to provide the best care possible in the best interest of the animals.
We hopefully expect an attitude of mutual respect and alliance from the officials paid to protect the natural resources of Costa Rica,
including the wildlife being cared for in rescue centers.
It is the welfare of the animals that should be IMPORTANT.
The criteria for the caretaking and management of animals in rescue centers in Costa Rica should not be based on outdated arbitrary rules that do not take into account what is best for the animal's well being.
We protest this policy and we sincerely hope that MINAET will someday soon be motivated to adjust these dysfunctional attitudes and apply a more modern and scientific approach to the subject.
Alexander O. Dreussi, B.A. Psychology, College of Wooster Rainsong staff member
Mary Lynn Perry Henry, President Rainsong Wildlife Sanctuary Association
Rainsong Wildlife Sanctuary has been repeatedly reprimanded by MINAET officials in the last 6 years since we founded the wildlife rescue center in Cabuya de Cobano [in march 2005], in regards to our handling of the mammal infants that are often brought to our rescue center, specifically that we handle the animals too much, that there's too much contact between animal and caretaker.
However, there exists a plethora of scientific and anecdotal evidence that shows that mammalian babies need such contact, and indeed would be damaged, physically and emotionally, if NOT handled.
As Henry Harlow, the famous psychologist, once said, “"Love is an emotion that does not need to be bottle- or spoon-fed, and we may be sure that there is nothing to be gained by giving lip service to love."
It is our belief [and an established scientific FACT ] that withholding affection and handling from the infant animals will cause them harm and will lead to a higher mortality rate.
Harlow’s findings showed this quite directly. In the course of an experiment looking at infant monkeys, he noticed that the animals became strongly attached to the cloth diapers put in their cages. When the diapers were removed, the baby monkeys often threw violent temper tantrums. Harlow decided to further research this finding. His research is best summed up in his own words: "We had also discovered during some allied observational studies that a baby monkey raised on a bare wire-mesh cage floor survives with difficulty, if at all, during the first five days of life. If a wire-mesh cone is introduced, the baby does better; and, if the cone is covered with terry cloth, husky, healthy, happy babies evolve. It takes more than a baby and a box to make a normal monkey. We were impressed by the possibility that … contact comfort might be a very important variable in the development of the infant's affection for the mother." (Harlow, American Psychologist, 1958). The most important point in the quote comes in the first sentence: in absence of some form of tactile stimulation, without any sort of touch or contact, infants are more likely to die than survive. A small amount of contact with a wire cone is better, and contact with something resembling an actual mother is best of all. Contact with living, breathing beings is by far the best chance an infant has of surviving those first few critical months of development.
The vast majority of studies on contact with infant animals come to the exact same conclusion. A researcher at Berkeley, an esteemed university in the United States, summarizes that "Touch also promotes health in infants and forms the platform for appropriate social behavior in later years." Banerjee, the researcher at Berkeley, also notes that "These findings suggest that the healing power of touch is not the mystical fringe theory that the catch phrase may suggest, but instead a real possibility in the realm of medical science." Harlow also weighs in on the necessity for contact to develop social and emotional health. He describes monkeys raised in bare wire cages, saying that the monkeys “suffer total maternal deprivation and, even more important, have no opportunity to form affectional ties with their peers. We have already reported the progressively deepening syndrome of compulsive nonnutritional sucking, repetitive stereotypes movements, detachment from environment, hostility directed outwardly towards others and inwardly towards the animal’s own body, and inability to form adequate social or heterosexual attachment to others when such opportunities are provided in preadolescence, adolescence, or adulthood.” Without such important developments, the monkeys are so retarded in their development as to be unable to function normally in groups with other animals of their own species.
Rainsong's staff and volunteers, through contact with the animals at the rescue center, are providing the animals in our care with the means to grow into able-bodied and emotionally healthy individuals. Without such contact, the animals would be permanently crippled, making impossible any kind of quality life for them, in captivity or released.
The benefits of contact reach far beyond emotional and psychological ones. Cerulli, Berry, and Alleva (2003) experimented with the effects of tactile stimulation by mothers on infants. They concluded that “it has been shown that disruptions in the mother–infant relationship result in neuroendocrine, neurochemical and behavioural changes in the adult organism,” indicating that the bond enjoyed between an adult and an infant has far-reaching implications on the infant.
For orphaned animals at the sanctuary the only possible source of maternal affection comes from their caretakers.
A study by Schanberg and Field (1987) demonstrated that “rat pups that were deprived of tactile stimulation from their mothers showed a decline in immunity compared to rat pups who received normal contact with their mothers” in an article published
in Child Development, a leading scientific journal.
Numerous experiments have shown that tactile stimulation, or TOUCH, is important in species ranging from monkeys to panda bears to dolphins and samples of nearly every other species in between, further underscoring the importance of our contact with the orphans at the sanctuary.
All animals require some sort of contact in order to thrive emotionally, socially, physically, and mentally.
The IMPORTANCE of this contact can not be overstressed.
In addition to all the other points, it is crucial to note that many of the animals at the sanctuary will never be allowed to be released by MINAET. Many of these animals, due to the unfortunate circumstances which brought them to the rescue center, are either permanently handicapped due to injury or were rescued too young to learn the skills they would need to survive in their natural habitat as a released adult individual.
These animals, as permanent residents of the rescue center, are very important elements for the conservation education necessary to protect animals' rights by bringing about a change in attitude thru interaction with the public, facilitating the cultivation of appreciation and respect for the beauty of mother nature in all her forms.
Having a maladjusted animal, lacking social skills and possibly violent (all due to lack of contact as an infant) would endanger both the animal and the caretakers at the sanctuary unnecessarily.
Based on overwhelming scientific proofs from controlled studies carried out to examine this subject, we find that your criticisms are scientifically unfounded.
In summary, the contact with the animals in our care can not be further reduced without risking the health of both animal and caretaker.
With this in mind, we respectfully announce our intentions to continue our caretaking with the animals' best interests as a priority, based on the overwhelmingly positive benefits and scientific proofs in favor of nurturing all infant animals.
Once again, we appeal to MINAET officials to focus on the animals' welfare, as proven by science, instead of dictating bureaucratic policies that are not founded in SCIENTIFIC FACT.
It is painful and disappointing to everyone at Rainsong that those who should act as our allies in our efforts to save what's left of the wildlife in our area of Costa Rica, have repeatedly behaved as if they are our adversaries, hindering our efforts to provide the best care possible in the best interest of the animals.
We hopefully expect an attitude of mutual respect and alliance from the officials paid to protect the natural resources of Costa Rica,
including the wildlife being cared for in rescue centers.
It is the welfare of the animals that should be IMPORTANT.
The criteria for the caretaking and management of animals in rescue centers in Costa Rica should not be based on outdated arbitrary rules that do not take into account what is best for the animal's well being.
We protest this policy and we sincerely hope that MINAET will someday soon be motivated to adjust these dysfunctional attitudes and apply a more modern and scientific approach to the subject.
Alexander O. Dreussi, B.A. Psychology, College of Wooster Rainsong staff member
Mary Lynn Perry Henry, President Rainsong Wildlife Sanctuary Association
Thursday, November 5, 2009
baby anteater's first successful nursing!
We have managed to get the new baby anteater to take some formula and she seems to be doing very well! We would love to have someone sponsor her to provide medicine and food until she is well enough to make it on her own. Please check out our websites at: www.costaricaanimals.org
and www.rainsongsanctuary.com
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
new rescued baby anteater
We have just received a new baby anteater at rainsong this morning.
here's her story:
people's unrestrained dogs continue to wipe out the anteater population in our region of Costa Rica.
the latest victim of this shameful situation is a tiny little anteater brought to rainsong just this morning from the malpais area.
her mother was torn to shreds by a pack of dogs, just last night,
causing this tiny little anteater to be spontaneously aborted prematurely as the mother died.
the noise of the fight as the anteater mom fought to save herself from the dogs aroused people nearby to get up out of bed and investigate the ruckus.
they arrived in time to save this tiny little creature from the dogs.
now it's up to the rainsong staff and volunteers to save this poor lil' orphaned baby anteater.
we have set up a small incubator, with a heating pad below the blankets to keep her warm.
we are carefully giving her 1 1/2 cc's of soy-based baby formula [for humans] every half hour.
the most dangerous challenge when trying to save infants of any species, bird or mammal or reptile,
is the risk of aspiration, liquids spilling into their airways and lungs.
this can cause immediate death, or a long slow agonizing death from pneumonia.
so the formula has to be given from a syringe with a special nursing nipple attached,
carefully tucked into the corner of the mouth, as far from the nostrils as possible.
the plunger of the syringe has to be pushed very slowly and gently to deliver just a few drops of liquid at a time,
giving the infant plenty of time to swallow.
with such a tiny little baby anteater, this procedure is extremely delicate.
anteaters' mouths are small and quite narrow, even in adults.
within a few days the baby should learn to seek out the nipple for sustenance.
the first days the baby has to be forced to drink the liquid from the nipple on the syringe.
the greatest care must be taken to not squeeze too much liquid into the baby's mouth at once.
we gained much experience with saving anteaters when our 'anti' was brought to rainsong, also newborn, almost 2 years ago.
two other very important factors is keeping the baby's body temperature warm, don't allow them to get cold, that's fatal.
also, if they begin to struggle because they are frightened by their circumstances, it is soothing to hold them in a blanket close to your chest, so they can hear your heart beat.
this is very comforting for any creature newly come into this world from the safety of the womb.
slowly rocking your body, or rocking in a rocking chair is also very calming for all infants, human and others.
it is important not to let them struggle, they will use up their reserves of energy, and could become lethargic, and lose body heat.
loss of body heat is very critical and life-threatening.
giving them a furry stuffed animal to cling to will also give them a sense of security and they will be less panicked by the strange situation.
we introduced our 'anti' anteater to the baby this morning, and both were very interested in each other.
we are happy that 'anti' will have an anti-playmate soon, once the baby gets past this most critical time of the first month or so.
'anti' will make an excellent big sister !
altho it is very necessary that all babies have their mother's milk, especially in the first 2 weeks of life, to acquire all the enzymes, antibodies, and other important elements provided by the mother's milk,
we have saved many very preemie babies already at rainsong, of various species.
we have the highest hopes that we can save our new little baby anteater.
we also ask that all you fellow planetary guardians out there light a candle and keep one lit for the next few days,
asking that the anteater guardian angels help us here at rainsong with the somber awesome task of saving this lil' baby.
and would all you people down here in Costa Rica take note, and control your dogs !!!
before ALL the anteaters are gone !
fence your yard, build a kennel compound, install security devices instead of using a pack of dogs for guards, hire a night watchman [for hotel complexes and cabinas],
whatever option works best for your circumstances,
but PLEASE control your dogs to save what wildlife is left !
the arboreal central american porcupines are also being wiped out by peoples' unrestrained dogs,
along with many other species... kinkajous, armadillo, raccoons, possums [a very important element in the food chain], the tropical pygmy skunk, etc...
please, let's care for mother nature !
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Rainsong action in the community
Rainsong Wildlife Sanctuary is contributing to the Comisión “Amigos del Corredor Biológico Peninsular” (Friends of the Peninsular Biological Corridor Commission) by donating wood planks needed for signs that will indicate the entry points of biological corridors.
A wealth of information about the program to design and consolidate biological corridors in costa Rica can be found at: http://www.corredoresbiologicos.go.cr/home.html
The website is currently only available in Spanish. A translation into English would greatly increase access to readers with limited or no Spanish skills.
Rainsong is an active member in the community and has conservation education as on of its fundamental goals.
A wealth of information about the program to design and consolidate biological corridors in costa Rica can be found at: http://www.corredoresbiologicos.go.cr/home.html
The website is currently only available in Spanish. A translation into English would greatly increase access to readers with limited or no Spanish skills.
Rainsong is an active member in the community and has conservation education as on of its fundamental goals.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Animal Weddings
Great news for this week!!!
We are having a wedding celebration soon at rainsong to marry errol flynn sr. to his new tepezquintle wife, 'madonna'. He was forced to divorce 'Selena' because they never got along well. The domestic violence was out of control! Selena is all kinked up from the abuses she suffered before coming to rainsong. Does anyone know a tepezquintle psychologist that would offer her free therapy ? They are not easy to find these days. hehehehe...
Also, we have found a wife for pigglepig, our saino (peccary), after searching for over a year!!! So it's a big double wedding party at rainsong! We have built a new pen for the piggle honeymooners. It is over 500 square meters, complete with soccer ball, (pigglepig is a mean goalie ! he loves to play soccer with the volunteers).
We also have received six crested guans at the sanctuary for release. The crested guan has been extinct in our area for over 40 years! The eventual release of these new guans will increase genetic diversity when added to the already existing guans that have started to migrate back into our area recently.
WE NEED SPONSORS to help finance the biological inspection and vet exam for these birds! This will cost more than $200!
Please go to our website at: www.costaricaanimals.org to donate via PayPal, check or Western Union.
Thanks for all your support!!!
We are having a wedding celebration soon at rainsong to marry errol flynn sr. to his new tepezquintle wife, 'madonna'. He was forced to divorce 'Selena' because they never got along well. The domestic violence was out of control! Selena is all kinked up from the abuses she suffered before coming to rainsong. Does anyone know a tepezquintle psychologist that would offer her free therapy ? They are not easy to find these days. hehehehe...
Also, we have found a wife for pigglepig, our saino (peccary), after searching for over a year!!! So it's a big double wedding party at rainsong! We have built a new pen for the piggle honeymooners. It is over 500 square meters, complete with soccer ball, (pigglepig is a mean goalie ! he loves to play soccer with the volunteers).
We also have received six crested guans at the sanctuary for release. The crested guan has been extinct in our area for over 40 years! The eventual release of these new guans will increase genetic diversity when added to the already existing guans that have started to migrate back into our area recently.
WE NEED SPONSORS to help finance the biological inspection and vet exam for these birds! This will cost more than $200!
Please go to our website at: www.costaricaanimals.org to donate via PayPal, check or Western Union.
Thanks for all your support!!!
Friday, October 16, 2009
spider webs
Spider webs can be quite fascinating. The way they seem to start from nowhere and turn into a silky vortex that holds meals for their creators. Due to the abundance of rain that Arkansas has had in the past few weeks, there has been an explosion of spider activity in the area. Sometimes I feel like I'm trying to walk between laser beams just talking a walk through the woods.
I guess spiders are stubborn creatures because when you knock down a web they have created you can often find a brand new web spun in exactly the same spot just a few hours later. It is this determination that can drive our passions.
We are in the final stages of completing all tasks for creating for the new organization, Costa Rica Wildlife Conservation and although there may be some tangly obstacles on this path, I'll just keep spinning a new web until things start to stick.
I guess spiders are stubborn creatures because when you knock down a web they have created you can often find a brand new web spun in exactly the same spot just a few hours later. It is this determination that can drive our passions.
We are in the final stages of completing all tasks for creating for the new organization, Costa Rica Wildlife Conservation and although there may be some tangly obstacles on this path, I'll just keep spinning a new web until things start to stick.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
forward motion
Today has been a day of great accomplishments. We incorporated Costa Rica Wildlife Conservation and are well on our way towards 501c3 status.
Once upon a time, I was walking in a forest in Costa Rica and I heard a loud grunt. I was accompanied by my then tica girlfriend who was not as familiar with the forest as me. As I often do, I got ahead of her on the trail, anxious to get back to lunch and see more wildlife. A few minutes after the grunt, I heard a glass-breaking scream...it was my tica girlfriend and she had come face to face with a wild pig. Apparently, she didn't share my curiousity for the beast and it scared the wits out of her. I came running, but it was gone by the time I got to her. She was somewhat beside herself for the rest of the day, but I couldn't help laughing at the whole experience. It was kind of like nature had told us: "here I am, staring you in the face. What are you gonna do about it?"
My girlfriend's answer was to RUN! My was to ponder. On the way back to the town, I spotted a sloth meditating on the branch of a large tree. I knew he meant me no harm and I assume the feeling was mutual. I just stared at him for minutes wondering what it must be like to be such a slow-moving Zen-like creature watching the packs of ants and humans below on the busy way.
So what are you gonna do about it?
I now know the answer to that question. It is called Costa Rica Wildlife Conservation. I hope the sloth and the pig are listening.
Once upon a time, I was walking in a forest in Costa Rica and I heard a loud grunt. I was accompanied by my then tica girlfriend who was not as familiar with the forest as me. As I often do, I got ahead of her on the trail, anxious to get back to lunch and see more wildlife. A few minutes after the grunt, I heard a glass-breaking scream...it was my tica girlfriend and she had come face to face with a wild pig. Apparently, she didn't share my curiousity for the beast and it scared the wits out of her. I came running, but it was gone by the time I got to her. She was somewhat beside herself for the rest of the day, but I couldn't help laughing at the whole experience. It was kind of like nature had told us: "here I am, staring you in the face. What are you gonna do about it?"
My girlfriend's answer was to RUN! My was to ponder. On the way back to the town, I spotted a sloth meditating on the branch of a large tree. I knew he meant me no harm and I assume the feeling was mutual. I just stared at him for minutes wondering what it must be like to be such a slow-moving Zen-like creature watching the packs of ants and humans below on the busy way.
So what are you gonna do about it?
I now know the answer to that question. It is called Costa Rica Wildlife Conservation. I hope the sloth and the pig are listening.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
New Jungle Habitat
We are starting a campaign to raise $10,000 for the construction of a jungle habitat for various non-carnivorous species at Rainsong including kinkajous, capuchin and mantled howler monkeys, anteaters, pacas, deer and other wonderful animals native to Costa Rica. It will be enoclosed with a two-meter fence to protect the animals from predators.
You can find an basic layout plan of the habitat at: http://www.costaricaanimals.org/ on the "Jungle Habitat" page.
You can find an basic layout plan of the habitat at: http://www.costaricaanimals.org/ on the "Jungle Habitat" page.
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