NataliaCara

This beautiful big boy is around 8 months old. His mother is a wild collared jaguar, which means that he has been monitored since he was very little, and is habituated to safari vehicles, not minding our presence at all, as he learned from his mother that we are not a threat. What a privilege it is to witness them being completely wild, in their natural habitat! The Jaguar (Panthera onca) is the largest cat species in the American continent and the third-largest in the world. It shares the Panthera genus with four other big cats: the Lion (Panthera leo), the Tiger (Panthera tigris), the Leopard (Panthera pardus), and the Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia). It has a stocky body and short, thick and powerful limbs, making the jaguar a great climber and swimmer. The proportionally bigger head grants it an extremely powerful jaw, being able to bite through any prey and drag it. Although the jaguar is often confused with the leopard, it is considerably sturdier and heavier than its African cousin, and it has a rounder head. The rosettes are also different, being larger, sometimes darker, and fewer in number; the contours are thicker and there is a small spot in the center. Each animal has a unique coat pattern, like fingerprints. The head and neck generally have solid spots instead of rosettes; and the same happens on the tail, where they may merge and form a ring. Females are usually 10 to 20% smaller than males, but the smallest male recorded weighed only 36 Kg, and the largest male 158 Kg. Sizes vary according to regions and habitats. The largest jaguars occur in open flood plains areas, in Venezuela and Brazil, and the smallest jaguars are found in the dense forests of Central America.

This adorable rescue cat lives at a marine rescue center. He does his own things and doesn't interact with the other animals, but he's gotten very used to their presence, so he doesn't mind at all that, while he is peacefully sleeping on my lap, there is an orphaned fur seal suckling on my leg! This adorable South American Fur Seal (Arctocephalus australis) was separated from his mother at a younger age than he was supposed to and ended up at the beach, not doing too well, so he was taken to a marine rescue center, to receive proper care until he is ready to be released back into the ocean. Although marine animals don't usually like human contact and will bite if you try and pet them, he follows me around all day and feels the need to suckle my leg for comfort. Although they have "seal" in the name, Fur Seals are actually more closely related to Sea Lions than to True Seals, belonging to the Otariidae family. Otariids are also known as "eared seals". Not only do they have external ear flaps, unlike true seals (Phocids), but they also have much larger flippers and can actually walk on land, instead of galumphing, like true seals. There are nine species of Fur Seals in the world: the Antarctic Fur Seal (Arctocephalus gazella), the Brown Fur Seal (Arctocephalus pusillus), the Galapagos Fur Seal (Arctocephalus galapagoensis), the Guadalupe Fur Seal (Arctocephalus townsendi), the Juan Fernández Fur Seal (Arctocephalus philippii), the New Zealand Fur Seal (Arctocephalus forsteri), the South American Fur Seal (Arctocephalus australis), the Subantarctic Fur Seal (Arctocephalus tropicalis), and the Northern Fur Seal (Callorhinus ursinus). As you may have noticed, the Northern Fur Seal is the only extant member of its genus, with all other Fur Seal species belonging to the Arctocephalus genus.

The Maned Wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), as the name suggests, has a mane on the back of its neck, but unlike its name suggests, it's actually not a wolf. It's called a wolf because of its size (about 90cm/3ft at shoulder height); some people like to refer to it as a "fox on stilts", but although it does resemble a fox, it's not a fox either. In fact, the maned wolf is the sole extant member of the Chrysocyon genus, meaning that it has no actual close relatives. Its closest living relative is the Bush Dog (Speothos venaticus), a short-legged canid with a round head that looks more like a bear than a maned wolf. The scientific name Chrysocyon brachyurus is of Greek origin, meaning short-tailed golden dog. Unlike true wolves, maned wolves do not howl, they roar-bark, as it can be seen in this video. Although they are solitary animals, they do that to communicate with other maned wolves, be it with their pups, a partner, or to mark their territory. Another difference between true wolves and maned wolves is that true wolves are carnivores, whereas maned wolves are omnivores, which means that they eat a little bit of everything (mammals, birds, reptiles, eggs, insects), but their diet is mostly plant-based. They eat many different fruits that they can find in their environment, but since they're not available year-round, depending on the time of year, their diet might become a bit more animal-based. Their favorite food though IS available year-round, making it the very base of they're diet; so much so that it was named after it: the wolf apple. The maned wolf is the largest canid in South America and can be found in Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Argentina. It used to occur in Uruguay as well, but it hasn't been seen there since 1990. Most of its range is in Brazil, especially in the Cerrado, the Brazilian Savannah. In fact, the maned wolf occurs in 90% of the Cerrado, which shows how connected the species and the biome are. The maned wolf was last assessed by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2015 and classified as Near Threatened, with an estimated 17,000 mature individuals left in the wild, but it said that "if deforestation reaches the maximum estimated rate of loss (2% per year), then simulation suggests a national population reduction of 56% at the end of 100 years", not to mention that is also subject to other threats, such as road kills and diseases from domestic dogs. They concluded it with "The species’ situation is considered to be of major concern due to the various threats acting throughout its entire range and should be regularly re-evaluated." The beautiful male in the video is wearing a GPS/VHF tracking collar and is monitored by Onçafari, at Trinjunção Lodge, at the heart of the Cerrado. The Onçafari Association was established to promote the conservation of the environment and to contribute to the socioeconomic development of the regions in which it operates, through ecotourism and scientific studies, and works to preserve biodiversity within several Brazilian biomes, with emphasis on jaguars and maned wolves. If you would like to stay at the Trijunção Lodge, you could go on a safari to try and find these amazing animals. It is truly an amazing experience!

While monitoring Nothern Elephant Seals (Mirounga angustirostris) during their breeding season in the Farallon Islands, these two sub-adult males were spotted fighting by the colony. It was a very short fight since neither of them is the harem master. The Farallon Islands are a National Wildlife Refuge, closed to the public; the only people on the island are conducting research or maintenance. That means that animals are free to be wild and not worry about humans. The islands are home to five species of Pinnipeds: Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina), Northern Elephant Seal (Mirounga angustirostris), California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus), Steller Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus), and Northern Fur Seal (Callorhinus ursinus). Since 1968, Point Blue Conservation Science has been continuously studying the species on the islands, 365 days a year. You can check out their website for more info: https://www.pointblue.org/ The Northern Elephant Seals were so heavily hunted for their blubber that they were actually declared extinct in 1884, with a population of approximately only 20 to 40 individuals. It was only in the early 20th century that the Mexican and U.S. governments decided to protect them. Nowadays they are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and have made an incredible recovery! Old colonies were slowly re-established, and the populations grew, with a current estimate of 100,000 individuals, making Northern Elephant Seals a conservation success story! The population is expected to continue growing over the following decades, so it is now listed as Least Concern. Northern Elephant Seals can be found on the eastern Pacific Ocean, all the way from the Gulf of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, to Baja California, In Mexico. Most of their lives are spent in water, although they do come out to breed, give birth, and molt, which occurs mostly in California and Mexico.

This fur seal got attacked by a dog and was rescued by S.O.S Rescate de Fauna Marina, in Uruguay. He is not 100% yet, so he is still waiting for his release. Once he is fully cured and strong, he will go back to the ocean. In the meantime, he lives a carefree life, not having to worry about predators or finding food. Just like a human, he enjoys lying by the pool, with his hind flippers in the water. How adorable is that?! Although they have "seal" in the name, Fur Seals are actually more closely related to Sea Lions than to True Seals, belonging to the Otariidae family. Otariids are also known as "eared seals". Not only do they have external ear flaps, unlike true seals (Phocids), but they also have much larger flippers and can actually walk on land, instead of galumphing, like true seals. There are nine species of Fur Seals in the world: the Antarctic Fur Seal (Arctocephalus gazella), the Brown Fur Seal (Arctocephalus pusillus), the Galapagos Fur Seal (Arctocephalus galapagoensis), the Guadalupe Fur Seal (Arctocephalus townsendi), the Juan Fernández Fur Seal (Arctocephalus philippii), the New Zealand Fur Seal (Arctocephalus forsteri), the South American Fur Seal (Arctocephalus australis), the Subantarctic Fur Seal (Arctocephalus tropicalis), and the Northern Fur Seal (Callorhinus ursinus). As you may have noticed, the Northern Fur Seal is the only extant member of its genus, with all other Fur Seal species belonging to the Arctocephalus genus. Allowing pets to roam around freely outdoors (as well as homeless cats and dogs) poses a huge threat to wildlife, as their instinct is to hunt/protect their territories, and attack wildlife, even though they have been domesticated. Pets are responsible for the deaths of many native animals. Please do your part in preventing more unnecessary deaths, and keep your pets on a leash when outside.

Northern Elephant Seals (Mirounga angustirostris) are monitored during their breeding season in the Farallon Islands, and during a pinniped survey, researchers spotted sleeping on this big male elephant seal, who doesn't seem to mind them at all! Animals are hilarious! The Farallon Islands are a National Wildlife Refuge, closed to the public; the only people on the island are conducting research or maintenance. That means that animals are free to be wild and not worry about humans. The islands are home to five species of Pinnipeds: Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina), Northern Elephant Seal (Mirounga angustirostris), California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus), Steller Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus), and Northern Fur Seal (Callorhinus ursinus). Since 1968, Point Blue Conservation Science has been continuously studying the species on the islands, 365 days a year. You can check out their website for more info: https://www.pointblue.org/ The Northern Elephant Seals were so heavily hunted for their blubber that they were actually declared extinct in 1884, with a population of approximately only 20 to 40 individuals. It was only in the early 20th century that the Mexican and U.S. governments decided to protect them. Nowadays they are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and have made an incredible recovery! Old colonies were slowly re-established, and the populations grew, with a current estimate of 100,000 individuals, making Northern Elephant Seals a conservation success story! The population is expected to continue growing over the following decades, so it is now listed as Least Concern. Northern Elephant Seals can be found in the eastern Pacific Ocean, all the way from the Gulf of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, to Baja California, In Mexico. Most of their lives are spent in water, although they do come out to breed, give birth, and molt, which occurs mostly in California and Mexico.

These Crab-eating Fox pups (Cerdocyon thous) have lost their mothers, so they had to be rescued and now live at a Wildlife Refuge. They are wild pups, but pups nonetheless, so they are curious and playful, and this brave one wants to find out what this weird noise is! The pups are still in quarantine, which is why they are not in a proper enclosure yet. The Crab-eating fox is the sole extant member of the Cerdocyon genus. Although it is called "fox", it doesn't belong to the fox-like tribe Vulpini, but shares the Canini tribe with 21 dog-like species, such as wolves, jackals, coyote, bush dog, wild dog, maned wolf, and the domestic dog, along with some other small canids that are called foxes, such as the Andean Fox, South American Gray Fox, Pampas Fox, Sechuran Fox, and Hoary Fox. It is mostly endemic to South America, but it has been sighted in Panama since 90s. It can be found in most South American habitats, such as savannas, tropical savannas such as the caatinga, plains, and campo, woodlands, subtropical forests, and prickly, shrubby thickets. It is only absent from rainforests, high mountains, and open grassy savannas, as well as urban areas. Although, as the name suggests, it feeds on crabs, the Crab-eating Fox is actually an omnivore, and its diet may vary according to location. It is opportunistic, eating insects, rodents, birds, turtle eggs, tortoises, fruit, bird eggs, crustaceans, insects, lizards and carrion. It is an important species for biological control. The illegal wildlife trade is the third most valuable illicit commerce in the world, losing only to drugs and weapons. That, along with loss of habitat by deforestation, fires, etc., results in an enormous amount of animals in need of rescuing. Only 1 in 10 animals survive trafficking! Do not support the pet trade! Animals should be free!

This poor penguin was rescued with some fishing gear around its broken bill. It's been rehabilitated and it's now as fine as it'll ever be without a prosthetic bill, but it can't eat on its own, so it can't be released back into the ocean, so it has to live at the rescue center, where it lives a god life, considering, receive good care and living with other rescued penguins. In this video you can see it grooming itself as best as it can after a swim, making sure it stays waterproof and can survive the cold in Uruguay. Animals are amazing! This is a Magellanic Penguin (Spheniscus magellanicus.) It shares the Spheniscus genus with three other species: the African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus), the Humboldt Penguin (Spheniscus humboldti), and the Galapagos Penguin (Spheniscus mendiculus). All four species have similar coloration, but the African Penguin cannot be mistaken by any of the other three in the wild, as it is confined to southern African waters, whereas the other species are found in South America. With the exception of the Galapagos Penguin, which is found north of the Equator, all penguin species live in the Southern Hemisphere. Because penguins are flightless birds who spend a large portion of their time in the water, their wings have been modified into flippers, to make them better swimmers. A penguin's coloration is counter-shaded for camouflage, with a white front and black back, so that when they are swimming, it is hard for a predator looking up to distinguish them from the reflective water surface, whereas the black helps them when seen from above. Their aquatically adapted bodies make them waddle when they walk, so another way to move around out of the water is to slide on their bellies in the snow or on ice, using their feet to steer and propel themselves. Penguins can also jump, which is often observed in Rockhopper Penguins.

The Farallon Islands are a National Wildlife Refuge, closed to the public; the only people on the island are conducting research or maintenance. That means that animals are free to be wild and not worry about humans. The islands are home to five species of Pinnipeds: Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina), Northern Elephant Seal (Mirounga angustirostris), California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus), Steller Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus), and Northern Fur Seal (Callorhinus ursinus). Even researchers must be careful when walking around, avoiding animal disturbance. This adorable fur seal pup was spotted during a survey and was more curious than afraid of us. How cute is that?! Since 1968, Point Blue Conservation Science has been continuously studying the species on the islands, 365 days a year. You can check out their website for more info: https://www.pointblue.org/ This little fella is a Northern Fur Seal (Callorhinus ursinus), but although they have "seal" in the name, Fur Seals are actually more closely related to Sea Lions than to True Seals, belonging to the Otariidae family. Otariids are also known as "eared seals". Not only do they have external ear flaps, unlike true seals (Phocids), but they also have much larger flippers and can actually walk on land, instead of galumphing, like true seals. There are nine species of Fur Seals in the world: the Antarctic Fur Seal (Arctocephalus gazella), the Brown Fur Seal (Arctocephalus pusillus), the Galapagos Fur Seal (Arctocephalus galapagoensis), the Guadalupe Fur Seal (Arctocephalus townsendi), the Juan Fernández Fur Seal (Arctocephalus philippii), the New Zealand Fur Seal (Arctocephalus forsteri), the South American Fur Seal (Arctocephalus australis), the Subantarctic Fur Seal (Arctocephalus tropicalis), and the Northern Fur Seal (Callorhinus ursinus). As you may have noticed, the Northern Fur Seal is the only extant member of its genus, with all other Fur Seal species belonging to the Arctocephalus genus. Northern Fur Seals occur only in the north Pacific Ocean. It was listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2015.

Believe it or not, this huge Elephant Seal is only an immature. It was found in a port, most likely not long after it was weaned; malnourished and hypothermic, it had to be rescued and taken to a rescue center for marine animals, where it has to stay until it is fat and healthy enough to be returned to the ocean. The Southern Elephant Seal (Mirounga leonina) is the largest species of pinnipeds, and have a striking sexual dimorphism, with males being 8 to 10 times larger than females. Males have been recorded to weigh up to 3700 Kg, whereas females weigh between 400 and 800 Kg, making it the most sexually dimorphic of all mammal species. It has an extensive range and breeding sites are on islands around the sub-Antarctic, although sometimes the pups might be born on mainland Antarctica. When not ashore, they inhabit most of the Southern Ocean. There are four genetically distinct populations around the globe: the Southern Pacific Ocean, the South Atlantic, the Southern Indian Ocean, and the Peninsula Valdes population in Argentina. They spend over 80% of the time in the water, making long migrations to better foraging areas to feed intensively in order to build up the blubber stores required to support them during breeding and molting haulouts. They have developed the ability to dive to depths of over 1500 m, for as long as 120 minutes, to prey on deep-water squid and fish. In the Antarctic, juvenile males stay within the pack ice to forage, and similar behavior is observed in juvenile males on the Patagonian shelf. The breeding cycle begins with the largest males hauling out on deserted beaches in August, and then pregnant females haul out, giving birth 2 to 5 days after arriving. The females stay with their pup during the lactation period, fasting. The pups weigh between 30 and 40 kg at birth, but by the time they wean, 23 to 25 days later, they weigh approximately 120 to 130 kg.

These adorable babies lost their mothers to poachers, but were lucky enough to be rescued. Having to be hand-raised at a Wildlife Refuge, they have become very accustomed to people and, unfortunately, won't be able to be released back into the wild. Like so many young ones, although these cuties generally get along just fine, they compete for attention, which is not the easiest thing for their foster mom. As a mainly nocturnal animal, this 6-month-old Southern Tamandua(Tamandua tetradactyla) usually sleeps during the day, but every once in a while, especially on cooler days, she gets very active during the day, and when she wants you, it's really hard to convince her to leave you alone! Of course that, the more she grows, the more her claws grow, and she only gets stronger and stronger, so having her on you can be quite painful, but anteaters climb on their mothers' back until 6 months of age or so, so of course they want to do the same to their caretakers. She has quite a personality and is not easy to take care of, but who could resist this adorableness?!?! The Bolivian Red Howler (Alouatta sara) is a species of Howler Monkey that is endemic to Bolivia, which means that it can't be found anywhere else in the world, although it used to be considered a subspecies of Red Howler Monkey (Alouatta seniculus). The illegal wildlife trade is the third most valuable illicit commerce in the world, losing only to drugs and weapons. That, along with loss of habitat by deforestation, fires, etc., result in an enormous amount of animals in need of rescuing. Only 1 in 10 animals survive trafficking! Do not support the pet trade! Animals should be free!

While monitoring Nothern Elephant Seals (Mirounga angustirostris) during their breeding season in the Farallon Islands, researchers spotted this sub-adult male that was watching them from behind a rock, thinking it was being sneaky! Elephant Seals are hilarious! The Farallon Islands are a National Wildlife Refuge, closed to the public; the only people on the island are conducting research or maintenance. That means that animals are free to be wild and not worry about humans. The islands are home to five species of Pinnipeds: Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina), Northern Elephant Seal (Mirounga angustirostris), California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus), Steller Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus), and Northern Fur Seal (Callorhinus ursinus). Since 1968, Point Blue Conservation Science has been continuously studying the species on the islands, 365 days a year. You can check out their website for more info: https://www.pointblue.org/ The Northern Elephant Seals were so heavily hunted for their blubber that they were actually declared extinct in 1884, with a population of approximately only 20 to 40 individuals. It was only in the early 20th century that the Mexican and U.S. governments decided to protect them. Nowadays they are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and have made an incredible recovery! Old colonies were slowly re-established, and the populations grew, with a current estimate of 100,000 individuals, making Northern Elephant Seals a conservation success story! The population is expected to continue growing over the following decades, so it is now listed as Least Concern. Northern Elephant Seals can be found on the eastern Pacific Ocean, all the way from the Gulf of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, to Baja California, In Mexico. Most of their lives are spent in water, although they do come out to breed, give birth, and molt, which occur mostly in California and Mexico.

While monitoring Nothern Elephant Seals (Mirounga angustirostris) during their breeding season in the Farallon Islands, this immature was spotted taking a nap with a little something on it's nose... fun fact: that's how they eliminate excess salt from their bodies! Elephant Seals are hilarious! The Farallon Islands are a National Wildlife Refuge, closed to the public; the only people on the island are conducting research or maintenance. That means that animals are free to be wild and not worry about humans. The islands are home to five species of Pinnipeds: Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina), Northern Elephant Seal (Mirounga angustirostris), California Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus), Steller Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus), and Northern Fur Seal (Callorhinus ursinus). Since 1968, Point Blue Conservation Science has been continuously studying the species on the islands, 365 days a year. You can check out their website for more info: https://www.pointblue.org/ The Northern Elephant Seals were so heavily hunted for their blubber that they were actually declared extinct in 1884, with a population of approximately only 20 to 40 individuals. It was only in the early 20th century that the Mexican and U.S. governments decided to protect them. Nowadays they are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and have made an incredible recovery! Old colonies were slowly re-established, and the populations grew, with a current estimate of 100,000 individuals, making Northern Elephant Seals a conservation success story! The population is expected to continue growing over the following decades, so it is now listed as Least Concern. Northern Elephant Seals can be found on the eastern Pacific Ocean, all the way from the Gulf of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, to Baja California, In Mexico. Most of their lives are spent in water, although they do come out to breed, give birth, and molt, which occur mostly in California and Mexico.

This funny young South American Sea Lion (Otaria flavescens) was rescued after it was found at the beach with hypothermia and malnourished. After being rehabilitated at a marine rescue center, it will be released back into the wild. Sea Lions are used to climbing rocks, and this one decided to try and climb out of its enclosure to hang out outside and try and steal some fish from the other animals. It sometimes succeeds, but not this time... The South American Sea Lion (Otaria flavescens) is a Pinniped, a suborder that includes 33 other species of sea lions, seals and the walrus. Pinnipeds are marine mammals that have front and rear flippers. They have short fur and slit-like nostrils can be closed when they dive. The suborder has three families: Phocidae (seals), Otariidae (sea lions and fur seals) and Odobenidae (walrus). Phocids have ear holes but no external ear flaps, and small front flippers, moving on land by flopping on their bellies. Otariids, have external ear flaps and large front flippers, being able to to walk on land. Odobenids are one of the largest pinnipeds, and both males and females have tusks and vacuum-like mouths. South American Sea Lions are heavy-bodied and stocky, and have a strong sexual dimorphism, with males reaching up to 350 Kg and 2.6 m in length, and females being no longer than 2 m and weighing 170 Kg. The male’s neck is more muscled than the females', with a patch of short hair around the head, resembling a lion's mane. Pups are born black above and paler below, and may present a greyish-orange coloration on the undersides, weighing 11-15 kg and are 75-85 cm long. They undergo a first molt at around one and two months of age, becoming dark brown, which will fade throughout its first year, becoming light brown. It is a widespread species around the South American continent, being found in Peru, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Southern Brazil, and it has even been observed in Ecuador and Colombia. They also occur in the Falkland Islands. Adult males have been recorded at over 300 Km from the coast, but juveniles won't venture beyond 80 Km.

Every once in a while we would see this Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni) hanging from the tree behind our house in the Osa Peninsula, in Costa Rica. One day we noticed she wasn't alone anymore... how adorable is that baby?!?! Sloths are slow-moving, arboreal animals, related to anteaters and armadillos. They can only be found in the forests of South and Central America. They generally only come down to the ground to "go to the bathroom", as it makes them very vulnerable to predators. There are six extant species of sloths, split into two families: the three-toed sloths (Bradypodidae), and the two-toed sloths (Choloepodidae). Each of these families only has one genus: Bradypus and Choloepus, respectively. There are four species of three-toed sloths and only two species of two-toed sloths: the Brown-throated Three-toed Sloth (Bradypus variegatus), the Pale-throated Three-toed Sloth (Bradypus tridactylus), the Maned Three-toed Sloth (Bradypus torquatus), the Pygmy Three-toed Sloth (Bradypus pygmaeus), Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni), and the Linnaeus's Two-toed Sloth (Choloepus didactylus). Two-toed sloths are slightly larger than three-toed sloths, reaching up to 7.7 Kg and 80 cm in length. Unlike their relatives, three-toed sloths have a herbivorous diet, whereas two-toed sloths are omnivores, eating small animals, fruits, as well as leaves. The gestation period for three-toed sloths is 6 months, and 12 months for two-toed sloths, but both give birth to a single baby, which stays with the mother for about 5 months. One of the main threats to sloths are electrical wires, resulting in many electrocuted animals. They are also victims of poaching and wildlife trafficking, being sold as pets, or used as an attraction for tourists. Although sloths can be super cute and cuddly, it is important to remember that they are wild animals, and should NOT be kept as pets! The illegal wildlife trade is the third most valuable illicit commerce in the world, losing only to drugs and weapons. Only 1 in 10 animals survive trafficking! Do not support the pet trade! Animals should be free!

These Mitred Parakeets (Psittacara mitratus) are some of the two hundred parrots that were rescued after being taken from the wild to be illegally sold in the black market. Considering that only 1 in 10 animals survive trafficking, you can imagine how many have died so that people could have them in their homes. They now live in a large aviary, at a rescue center, where they live the best life they can under the circumstances, but it will never be like it was supposed to. Parakeets are small and medium-sized species of parrot, from multiple genera, that have long tail feathers, in general. The term "conure" is used for small to medium-sized parakeets of the genera Aratinga, Pyrrhura, and a few other genera of the tribe Arini, which are mainly endemic to South America, but taxonomists tend to avoid the term because they are not all in the same genus. Parrots, macaws, parakeets, and parrotlets belong to the Psittacidae family, the one with the most species at risk of extinction of all the bird families. In the last few centuries, several species have gone extinct. All species are found in tropical and subtropical zones. Psittacids are some of the most intelligent birds, with a highly developed brain, and can imitate all sorts of sounds. Some species can live for over fifty years. They generally mate for life, choosing their partner when they are still young, and share chores, preparing the nest together. The male feeds the female while she is nesting, and they both care for the chicks. Parakeets often breed more readily in groups, as the presence of other parakeets encourages a pair to breed. After drugs and weapons, the illegal wildlife trade is the third most valuable illicit commerce in the world. Do not support the pet trade; do not buy wildlife products! Wild animals should be wild and free!

This female was just another victim and now has to live at an animal refuge, where she gave birth to this adorable baby, which, unfortunately, will not have the chance to know what it's like to be wild. Although baby monkeys can be super cute and cuddly, it is important to remember that they are wild animals, and should NOT be kept as pets! The illegal wildlife trade is the third most valuable illicit commerce in the world, losing only to drugs and weapons. That, along with loss of habitat by deforestation, fires, etc., result in an enormous amount of animals in need of rescuing. Only 1 in 10 animals survive trafficking! Do not support the pet trade! Animals should be free! The Bolivian Red Howler (Alouatta sara) is a species of Howler Monkey that is endemic to Bolivia, which means that it can't be found anywhere else in the world, although it used to be considered a subspecies of Red Howler Monkey (Alouatta seniculus). Howler Monkeys are some of the largest species of New World monkeys, and are native so South and Central American forests. As the name suggests, their main vocalizations consist of "howls", which are loud, deep, guttural growls. The males usually call at dawn and dusk, but can also vocalize during the day.

This adorable ocelot was another victim of the wildlife traffic, but was lucky enough to be rescued and taken to a Wildlife Refuge. She lives with a male, and it's usually exploring the enclosure, but she will sometimes come over to the switch area to interact with her caretakers. On this day, a volunteer was wearing leopard-print rubber boots, and she was very curious about it and wanted to check it out! How cute is that?! The Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is a small wild cat, but it is the biggest member of the genus Leopardus, which also includes the Margay (Leopardus wiedii), the Northern Tiger Cat (Leopardus tigrinus), the Andean Mountain Cat (Leopardus jacobita), the Kodkod (Leopardus guigna), the Geoffroy's Cat (Leopardus geoffroyi), the Pampas Cat (Leopardus colocolo), and the Southern Tiger Cat (Leopardus guttulus). It is native to the Americas and can be found in various habits, such as tropical forests, thorn scrub regions, savannah grasslands, marshes and mangrove forests. It is widely distributed, from northern Argentina to the southwestern United States, and it's the most common cat species throughout much of its range. At the moment the main threats for ocelots are habitat loss and fragmentation, retaliatory killing for depredation of poultry, and the illegal trade of pets and fur. After drugs and weapons, the illegal wildlife trade is the third most valuable illicit commerce in the world. Only one out of ten trafficked animals survive! Do not support the pet trade; do not buy wildlife products! Wild animals should be wild and free!

This adorable ocelot was another victim of the wildlife traffic, but was lucky enough to be rescued and taken to a Wildlife Refuge. He lives with a thin female, but he is too lazy to exercise and became a very chubby cat. He does enjoy playing though, as long as he gets to do so while lying down. The Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) is a small wild cat, but it is the biggest member of the genus Leopardus, which also includes the Margay (Leopardus wiedii), the Northern Tiger Cat (Leopardus tigrinus), the Andean Mountain Cat (Leopardus jacobita), the Kodkod (Leopardus guigna), the Geoffroy's Cat (Leopardus geoffroyi), the Pampas Cat (Leopardus colocolo), and the Southern Tiger Cat (Leopardus guttulus). It is native to the Americas and can be found in various habits, such as tropical forests, thorn scrub regions, savannah grasslands, marshes and mangrove forests. It is widely distributed, from northern Argentina to the southwestern United States, and it's the most common cat species throughout much of its range. At the moment the main threats for ocelots are habitat loss and fragmentation, retaliatory killing for depredation of poultry, and the illegal trade of pets and fur. After drugs and weapons, the illegal wildlife trade is the third most valuable illicit commerce in the world. Only one out of ten trafficked animals survive! Do not support the pet trade; do not buy wildlife products! Wild animals should be wild and free!

These Crab-eating Fox pups (Cerdocyon thous) have lost their mothers, so they had to be rescued and now live at a Wildlife Refuge. They are wild pups, but pups nonetheless, so they are curious and playful, and this little fella simply decided to steal the water bowl from one of the caretakers, and take it away, after getting the floor all wet. They are still in quarantine, which why they are not in a proper enclosure yet. The Crab-eating fox is the sole extant member of the Cerdocyon genus. Although it is called "fox", it doesn't belong to the fox-like tribe Vulpini, but shares the Canini tribe with 21 dog-like species, such as wolves, jackals, coyote, bush dog, wild dog, maned wolf, and the domestic dog, along with some other small canids that are called foxes, such as the Andean Fox, South American Gray Fox, Pampas Fox, Sechuran Fox, and Hoary Fox. It is mostly endemic to South America, but it has been sighted in Panama since 90s. It can be found in most South American habitats, such as savannas, tropical savannas such as the caatinga, plains, and campo, woodlands, subtropical forests, and prickly, shrubby thickets. It is only absent from rainforests, high mountains, and open grassy savannas, as well as urban areas. Although, as the name suggests, it feeds on crabs, the Crab-eating Fox is actually an omnivore, and its diet may vary according to location. It is opportunistic, eating insects, rodents, birds, turtle eggs, tortoises, fruit, bird eggs, crustaceans, insects, lizards and carrion. It is an important species for biological control. The illegal wildlife trade is the third most valuable illicit commerce in the world, losing only to drugs and weapons. That, along with loss of habitat by deforestation, fires, etc., results in an enormous amount of animals in need of rescuing. Only 1 in 10 animals survive trafficking! Do not support the pet trade! Animals should be free!

These beautiful female jaguars were rescued from the black market when they were just cubs, so they had to be raised at a Wildlife Refuge, and won't be able to be released back into the wild, unfortunately. They aren't sisters, but they grew up together and still share the same enclosure, so they have formed a strong bond, and one loves to show affection to the other! The illegal wildlife trade is the third most valuable illicit commerce in the world, losing only to drugs and weapons. That, along with loss of habitat by deforestation, fires, etc., results in an enormous amount of animals in need of rescuing. Only 1 in 10 animals survive trafficking! Do not support the pet trade! Animals should be free! The Jaguar (Panthera onca) is the largest cat species in the American continent and the third-largest in the world. It shares the Panthera genus with four other big cats: the Lion (Panthera leo), the Tiger (Panthera tigris), the Leopard (Panthera pardus), and the Snow Leopard (Panthera uncia). It has a stocky body and short, thick and powerful limbs, making the jaguar a great climber and swimmer. The proportionally bigger head grants it an extremely powerful jaw, being able to bite through any prey and drag it. Although the jaguar is often confused with the leopard, it is considerably sturdier and heavier than its African cousin, and it has a rounder head. The rosettes are also different, being larger, sometimes darker, and fewer in number; the contours are thicker and there is a small spot in the center. Each animal has a unique coat pattern, like fingerprints. The head and neck generally have solid spots instead of rosettes; and the same happens on the tail, where they may merge and form a ring. Females are usually 10 to 20% smaller than males, but the smallest male recorded weighed only 36 Kg, and the largest male 158 Kg. Sizes vary according to regions and habitats. The largest jaguars occur in open flood plains areas, in Venezuela and Brazil, and the smallest jaguars are found in the dense forests of Central America.

Rainbow Boas (Epicrates sp.) are known for their iridescent scales which refract light and create a rainbow-colored effect and make people want to have them as pets. The snake in the video, however, is a Boa constrictor, also known as Red-tailed Boa or Common Boa, a species that doesn't normally present such iridescence (and have very different patterns from the Rainbow Boas). Of course that this makes it much more valuable and this beautiful animal became another victim of the wildlife traffic. Thankfully, it was lucky enough to be rescued and taken to a Wildlife Refuge! Their color can vary depending on the area, being generally brown, gray, or cream, with brown or reddish-brown saddle patterns that are more pronounced towards the tail. The coloration serves as camouflage, making them blend into their habitats. They can inhabit a wide variety of environments, from tropical rainforests to arid semidesert country, but prefer the humidity and temperature of the rainforest, as well as its natural cover from predators, and abundant prey. They are usually found along rivers and streams, as they are excellent swimmers, although prefer to stay on land. The boa constrictor is a nocturnal, semi-arboreal snake, being more arboreal when it's young and becoming mostly terrestrial as they grow. Individuals from Central America tend to be aggressive when disturbed than those from South America, hissing loudly and striking repeatedly. Although it has a painful bite, it is generally not dangerous to humans. The illegal wildlife trade is the third most valuable illicit commerce in the world, losing only to drugs and weapons. That, along with loss of habitat by deforestation, fires, etc., result in an enormous amount of animals in need of rescuing. Only 1 in 10 animals survive trafficking! Do not support the wildlife trade! Animals are not products and should be free!

This rescued capybara always dips her feet in her water bowl when she drinks it, in spite of having a pool in her enclosure, and she just stays there like that, like she's about to get a manicure! The Capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) is the largest rodent in the world, reaching up to 1.34 m (4.40 ft) in length, with a shoulder height of up to 62 cm (24 in), and typically weighing from 35 to 66 kg (77 to 146 lb). It belongs to the Caviidae family, along with guinea pigs, maras, and cavies. They are semi-aquatic, which means that they only occur in areas where there is water, such as marshes, estuaries, and along rivers and streams. Their bodies are adapted for that lifestyle, having partially webbed toes, for paddling, and long and brittle fur, which makes them dry quickly on land. Although capybaras are herbivores, and graze mainly on grass and aquatic plants, but also feed on fruit and tree bark, they are also autocoprophagous, which means that they eat their own feces to help digest the cellulose in their diet, as it is a source of bacterial gut flora. It also increases the amount of nutrients they get from their food. It can be found in all South American countries, except for Chile. The main threat is hunting for meat and leather, and since they are generally calm and peaceful animals that are easily adaptable, and therefore are often found near humans, they are easy targets. The illegal wildlife trade is the third most valuable illicit commerce in the world, losing only to drugs and weapons. That, along with loss of habitat by deforestation, fires, etc., result in an enormous amount of animals in need of rescuing. Only 1 in 10 animals survive trafficking! Do not support the wildlife trade!

This adorable baby lost his mother to poachers, but was lucky enough to be rescued. Having to be hand-raised at a Wildlife Refuge, he has become very accustomed to people and, unfortunately, won't be able to be released back into the wild. These babies drink their formula from bowl, instead of bottles, since there are too many of them. They are usually good at it, but it can be a bit messy sometimes... Primates, in general, are extremely social animals, and the babies need to be with a mother, even if a foster one. In spite of the great size difference and physical appearance, the resemblance in behavior shared between a baby monkey and a human baby is remarkable! The Bolivian Red Howler (Alouatta sara) is a species of Howler Monkey that is endemic to Bolivia, which means that it can't be found anywhere else in the world, although it used to be considered a subspecies of Red Howler Monkey (Alouatta seniculus). Howler Monkeys are some of the largest species of New World monkeys, and are native so South and Central American forests. As the name suggests, their main vocalizations consist of "howls", which are loud, deep, guttural growls. The males usually call at dawn and dusk, but can also vocalize during the day. Although baby monkeys can be super and cuddly, it is important to remember that they are wild animals, and should NOT be kept as pets! This baby lost her mother and was rescued from the black market precisely because people buy monkeys! The illegal wildlife trade is the third most valuable illicit commerce in the world, losing only to drugs and weapons. That, along with loss of habitat by deforestation, fires, etc., results in an enormous amount of animals in need of rescuing. Only 1 in 10 animals survive trafficking! Do not support the pet trade! Animals should be free!

This adorable baby lost his mother to poachers, but was lucky enough to be rescued. Having to be hand-raised at a Wildlife Refuge, he has become very accustomed to people and, unfortunately, won't be able to be released back into the wild. Primates, in general, are extremely social animals, and the babies need to be with a mother, even if a foster one. The moment she met her caretaker, she instantly adopted her as her foster mom and wants nothing more than to spend the whole day with her. She still should be nursing, but not having her mother around, she tries to suckle the caretaker's ears, neck and arm, not for feeding, but trying to find some comfort, like a pacifier. The bond between the monkey and her caretaker is beautiful to watch! In spite of the great size difference and physical appearance, the resemblance in behavior shared between a baby monkey and a human baby is remarkable! Her cries, begging for attention are absolutely adorable! I mean, who could resist it?!?! The Bolivian Red Howler (Alouatta sara) is a species of Howler Monkey that is endemic to Bolivia, which means that it can't be found anywhere else in the world, although it used to be considered a subspecies of Red Howler Monkey (Alouatta seniculus). Although baby monkeys can be super and cuddly, it is important to remember that they are wild animals, and should NOT be kept as pets! This baby lost her mother and was rescued from the black market precisely because people buy monkeys! The illegal wildlife trade is the third most valuable illicit commerce in the world, losing only to drugs and weapons. That, along with loss of habitat by deforestation, fires, etc., results in an enormous amount of animals in need of rescuing. Only 1 in 10 animals survive trafficking! Do not support the pet trade! Animals should be free!