For those of you who have seen the e-mails I sent out before I started this blog, you may remember that I visited the Toucan Rescue Ranch in San Isidro, Costa Rica a few weeks ago to see the over 30 species of birds and 6 mammals that were rescued by the owners of the ranch, Leslie Howle and Jorge Murillo. Now, I am often especially skeptical of places that claim to benefit animals because we too often find that the owners are actually mistreating and exploiting the animals for their own profit. So when I arrived at the ranch the first time, I was pretty skeptical. I soon realized, though, that the Toucan Rescue Ranch was run by two people whose hearts are truly in the right place. As I walked around the couples' property and heard the stories of how their many toucans, owls, and sloths as well as their hawk, porcupine, kinkajou, and monkey arrived at the ranch (some were hit by cars, others were captured by abusers and chained to fences, and others were shot), I was amazed by the time, dedication, and love Leslie and Jorge devote to their animals. And when I found out they are barely able to make ends meet every month due mostly to the fact that they run the entire place on their own with no financial support from the government, I knew I wanted to help them fundraise when I get back to the states.
This led my friend Ericka and me to revisit the ranch to find out more information about it so that we could help raise the funds. We enjoyed being there with the couple and their animals so much that we decided to go back today to help them feed the animals. While there, the couple let Issy the spider monkey out of her cage so that Ericka and I could feed her. Issy was so timid at first that she grabbed the fruit and would run back to her cage, looking curiously at us but still keeping her distance. After a few minutes, Issy walked over to Jorge and sat on his lap while eating her papaya. At this point I was thinking, wow, what an incredible bond they have; if only she trusted me that much to sit with me, it would truly be something special...Now, if I didn't already believe in the power of positive thinking, this would be the turn around for me because as soon as I thought that, Issy left Jorge's lap, walked over to me, and hugged me! She wrapped her tail around my waist and clung to me before settling into my lap. All of us were dumbfounded; Jorge's jaw just about hit the floor, as he had already explained to us no one ever gets this close to Issy let alone has her voluntarily climbing all over them!
Issy sat clinging to me (and pulling down my shirt...awkward) for a good 10 minutes before she decided to go steal a slice of papaya from the porcupine's cage and play in the rain puddles. But let me tell you, that was one of the most incredible experiences I have ever had in my life. I'll never forget the feeling of her little body cuddled close to mine as she looked up at me and touched my face with her hands. This all may sound embellished, but I'm speaking honestly; it moved me and I feel so blessed that Issy would trust in me enough to allow me to share that moment with her.
From the bottom of my heart, Leslie and Jorge, I thank you for all of the beautiful work you do, and I am going to do my best to help your ranch continue. We need more people like you who make such a positive impact in our world in a unique, loving way.
For more information on the Toucan Rescue Ranch, go to http://www.toucanrescueranch.com/. And if anyone would like to donate money to the ranch or help me raise money for the ranch, please let me know! Issy and the more than 100 other animals at the ranch will have you to thank when they can continue to have a place that allows them to not only survive, but a place they can also call home.
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