BABY BOOMER TIME AT PARADISE GARDENS.

[Paul Saban]

It has been a very busy month, especially as so many of our volunteers have now returned to the U.S for the summer.
It began with a call from Panama City. A Jaguar Cub was being offered for sale to the expat community - illegally of course. The Summit Zoo could not take it and we were asked if we could help. That night at about midnight, my good friend Roy and I set off to drive through the night with the intention of being on their doorstep at dawn and then to turn around and drive back. I have done the trip alone before, and at night but it is nice to have the company, especially when one is tired and even nicer to have a friend who volunteers without pressure!

We arrived home the next day having driven through horrendous storms and floods and safely installed the little cat in our Cabana where she could be quiet. We are doubtful about her being a Jaguar, more likely, an Ocelot, but equally beautiful and critically endangered.

During the following week, 2 baby Coatis arrived in a terrible state. I couldn't tell their ages, maybe 2 weeks, but filthy dirty and starving hungry. We have calmed them down, nourished them and now put them in with our 2 female Kinkajous who will not hurt them. They have plenty off space and will of course be returned to the wild in a few months time. We hope that they will stay around with our local family which breed regularly in the garden.
The next weekend brought another surprise - yet another cat. Well another cub really. It was in a Nobe settlement near San Felix. We picked it up the next day and brought it home. The string around its neck was so tight that it was difficult to get a pair of scissors under it to cut it free and I discovered that even something this small can bite through welding gloves. I am going for Kevlar next time!

The two babies are now together in an enclosure and tolerating each other whilst eating us out of house and home. With extraordinary patience, Els, our Belgian volunteer, has managed to get one to sit on her lap and be stroked and the other will calmly take food from the hand. These are extremly beautiful creatures, seldom seen at this age and I would urge any cat lover to make the time to visit soon as they are growing quickly. We hope to raise enough money to alter our large enclosure into a Big Cat play and breeding centre from where we expect to eventually release these cats back to the wild.

We have happily released 2 Toucans this week, down at Chorcha and see large groups of them from time to time. We have also now released the 2 Striped Owls and they still come around at dusk, looking fit and healthy and flying silently over our orchard. I feel particularly pleased because they havent starved to death which means I must have taught them properly!

Finally, just a few days ago we were presented with a baby howler, probably 6 - 8 weeks old and as thin and boney as you could imagine. This will be touch and go again as it is not in great shape but we shall try. Sadly, we do not have an incubator for these little waifs and so it is very difficult to keep them warm without over heating them. If any one has such a thing, or would like to donate one, please think of us. (Today we have, also, a baby Heron that would appreciate the warmth without the light from the bulb above its head.

Today, I went to see Maisie and Yahoo. They have been without company for 3 or 4 days except for one of the lodge workers who ensures they are fed, and they were both very pleased to see us. They are free all the time now and the wild male still calls round but he wasn't there today. I have to say that it is great to still have their love and to enjoy the interaction with them.