Monty's Campaign

Veronica Harrison is organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

Special Needs Wildlife Home, Peru

Check out our progress at https://www.facebook.com/laurel.hanna.754

Hi, this is Monty. He was cruelly mutilated as a baby- his teeth were pulled out! someone wanted a pet coati that couldn’t bite, but you won’t be surprised to hear that he still tried. Patient care has calmed him and he is learning that people can be kind. Then there is Natividad the forest tortoise. She somehow turned up in the city where she was badly gnawed by a rat. After months of care, she is healing, and able to walk a little. Valentina the saddle-back tamarin is another case, one of the smallest monkey species in our area. She came into custody of the local wildlife department with a broken pelvis which has left her hind legs and tail paralysed. She is a courageous little animal with a will to live, and she is fighting to survive- we are helping her all we can.

I have temporary custody of these animals, but they, and others like them, need a long-term home. Please help us with Peru’s first special needs wildlife home! The primary goal is to provide a caring home for the wild animals that need sanctuary- but we don’t stop there. Through educational school visits and the social media, these animals can become tiny ambassadors for the causes of animal welfare and the environment. I believe they will touch the hearts of schoolchildren and sow the seeds for a more caring future.

Who are the people in this project?

I am Laurel Hanna, a British biologist with a passion for rainforest conservation, animal welfare and environmental education. I have been living and working in the Tambopata region of Amazonas Peru for more than 20 years, and I am manager of a 1300-hectare forest reserve. The wildlife home is in collaboration with my lifelong friend and cousin Veronica Harrison, who is handling the uk side of things; she will personally receive the donations on behalf of the project, as gofundme donations cannot yet be sent directly to Peru.

What do we mean by special needs wildlife?

Special needs wildlife is defined as wild animals that are held in captivity, but are unsuitable for release to the wild because of physical disabilities, chronic conditions or behavioral issues. They require long term care and management.

Why do we need a special needs wildlife home in Peru?

The Amazon region of Peru is home to an amazing diversity of fauna, but Peru’s wildlife is under incredible pressure- habitat loss is continuing daily, for farming and gold mining, and animals are hunted for the illegal pet trade and for food. Wildlife trafficking is even recognized as organized crime in Peru; read more about the problem in this 2022 article. https://dialogo-americas.com/articles/criminal-groups-destroy-peruvian-amazon-study-shows/#.ZEq8e3aZO3A Wild animals that are illegally captured or traded are the responsibility of the Regional Government (GRFFS-MDD Gerencia Regional Forestal y de Fauna Silvestre, Madre de Dios), who conduct raids to confiscate them, or receive individuals found abandoned. The animals are evaluated, then usually sent to one of several rehabilitation centers operating locally; the goal is to return individuals to the wild whenever feasible. Read this 2022 article for more information about the illegal wildlife trade in Peru, and the work of a rescue centre in the Tambopata region. https://dialogochino.net/en/trade-investment/61401-illegal-wildlife-trade-hotspot-peru-fight-trafficking/ The problem is, the centers are operating at capacity, and when an individual is assessed as unsuitable for return to the wild for whatever reason, it takes up space long-term, that would more properly be used to prepare other individuals for release. There is therefore clearly a call for a home that is dedicated to the care of these special needs animals.

What kinds of animals need our help?

When the BBC investigated the illegal wildlife trade in Peru in 2015, they found monkeys, parrots, turtles and other species. https://www.bbc.com/news/av/magazine-32725766 What they found is as true today as it was then, and any of these species and more could suffer accident or injury making them unfit for return to the wild. The monkey at the beginning of the video is a saddle-backed tamarin, the same species as Valentina. There is a particular need for facilities for birds such as macaws and parrots, who have sustained injuries which leave them in no hope of flying again.

What will we do with your donations?

There are strict guidelines for the establishment of facilities to receive confiscated wild animals in Peru, and our plans follow these guidelines and are made with the knowledge of the local wildlife department. You can read more about the requirements in this 2020 government document. https://www.serfor.gob.pe/portal/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Lineamiento-para-PMFS-Zoologicos.pdf

We already have the site for the wildlife home, and have provisional licences for the animals in our care so far. We will use the donations to improve and build facilities for the long-term care of other individuals that need us the most. Our plans include three large pens to accommodate parrots, macaws or other species. The proposed main pens measure 6m x 3m x 3m high, with a holding area and airlock entrance for each pen, constructed with steel mesh and partly roofed for shade and protection from the rain. Other necessary components include a quarantine room, food preparation area and small animal facilities.

How can you help?

Please join us in this project; any amount you can contribute is really appreciated, and you can also help significantly by sending the link to your family and friends. The following photos show the individuals we have been able to help so far, and a few examples of others in need.