EnglishCuando el Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales de El Salvador (JUICIO) nos contactó en 2022 y pidió ayuda para cuidar a los monos araña en cautiverio, we knew right away we would call on the experienced animal keepers at Una de las mayores necesidades de conservación era generar orgullo comunitario en esta región..
El Salvador tiene un gran problema con el contrabando de animales. Los cazadores furtivos se centrarán en cualquier animal exótico para venderlo como mascota al comercio ilegal en el extranjero de especies en peligro de extinción.. A menudo, they will kill the animals for fur or other parts which can fetch a high price. En años recientes, the Salvadoran government has renewed its efforts to stamp out this trade and give rescued animals a better chance of survival and release back to the wild. Por eso, their willingness to work with NGOs like Paso Pacífico.
When MARN contacted us, we reached out to our friends at Zoo Boise, which helps fund some of our work with spider monkeys and other species. A Zoo Boise delegation soon arrived in El Salvador to learn how they could help. After an introduction to the country, they met with some of the forest rangers trained by Paso Pacífico with the aid of Zoo Boise funding, and with about 20 animal care professionals and conservationists from throughout the country. The Zoo Boise team led training sessions where zoo professional learned techniques to calm injured animals and administer medical care. Keepers from animal rescues around the country also learned more about the housing, dietary and social needs of the spider monkeys thanks to the Zoo Boise experts.
The Zoo’s veterinarian is now working with Salvadoran vets to design better programs for medical testing. This will help determine which animals might be successfully rehabilitated in the wild.
Teamwork and collaboration are essential to successful conservation. Let us know if you have any special skills or knowledge which you would like to put to good use!