The reserve tries to breed many of the animals and care for them until they can be released out into the wild, but due to injuries or many of the animals' history, they must remain in captivity for their safety. Our guide for this tour reminded us of the importance of preserving the species but also doing what is best for the animals. The moral of the story: protect the earth and do not have wild/exotic animals as pets. Segue to some fun stuff!
There were so many animals we got to see here at the conservatory, and many of them were happy to see us. Many animals, worldwide, do not like humans. Due to their survival instincts, animals try to avoid us, so it is not very common for you to see these animals most of the time. Thankfully, on this trip, I got to see macaws, toucans, a vulture (who was having his Madonna moment when he saw us), pumas, monkeys, an otter, a boa constrictor, turtles, and so much more! I love monkeys, as that is a nickname I have from my mom (originates from a Beastie Boys song, 'Brass Monkey') and the many monkey plushies I had as a child. I was too excited to see all of the monkeys on this trip, and they made several appearances throughout the weekend. One thing that stood out to me...Toucans can look very different. I thought there were only the type with the yellow beaks...NOPE! There are so many more.
