Karma Saving the Rainforest – April 2018

By Karma Casey

Hello Quepolandia readers! It’s Karma, the KSTR spokeskid again! This month I am going to be telling you about two memorable wildlife releases, and how to help animals like them.

Just recently, Kids Saving The Rainforest released two Titi monkeys. Titi’s are also known as Grey Crowned Squirrel Monkeys. These monkeys live in the Quepos/Manuel Antonio area, and nowhere else in the world! We are very lucky to have them. This is the animal species we save the most of at Kids Saving the Rainforest, along with sloths, anteaters, parrots, and more!

One of the Titi monkeys that were released was an adult female. We called her Elise. Once the KSTR veterinary team got the monkey to the clinic, they found out she had been electrocuted. She had really bad burns on her tail and her right leg, and damage to her head and brain.

They found out something else, too: she was lactating! Lactating means that she was producing milk! If she was producing milk, that means she had a little baby in the wild! I can’t even imagine being away from my baby!

While she was in the clinic, the KSTR staff & interns tried to make her as comfortable as possible, and helped her become well again. She lost her Achilles Tendon, and half of her tail was amputated. When Elise was ready for release, she was brought to the jungle where different troops were seen. She was released with high hopes that she would be reunited with her beloved baby.

The second Titi monkey recently released was an old man. He was given the name Toasty. Some kids were throwing rocks at him! The poor thing got hit by a rock so hard, he was really hurt. He arrived to the clinic a little dazed, but soon enough he was ready go home. He was successfully released back into the wild. Right at this moment, those Titi monkeys are hanging out with their family!

NEVER hurt any animals, even if other people are doing it. If you see people hurting animals, please explain to them it is bad. How would you feel if somebody was throwing rocks at your family?

Here at Kids Saving the Rainforest, we are all hard at work rescuing wildlife and doing our part to make sure animals are wild and free. You can help, too! Be kind to animals, and never try to feed them. Do not support the illegal pet trade, or throw trash into nature.

For only $10 a month, you can sponsor a Grey Crowned Squirrel Monkey, or put up one of our wildlife bridges. These bridges give Titis and other animals a safe way to move through our human spaces without being hit by cars or electrocuted! To learn more about how to help, visit our website at kidsavingtherainforest.org.

Don’t forget! If you find orphaned or injured wildlife, send a message via WhatsApp to 88-ANIMAL. We have veterinarians and rehabilitation staff here 7 days a week to help with animal emergencies!

With your help, we can save the world!