2022, what a year!

Looking back at 2022, we can’t help but smile at all the great things we accomplished. Last year was a year to remember, and we would like to highlight some achievements and milestones!

More than 500 animals came to our Rescue Center!

2022 was a busy year. We received more than 500 animals at our Headquarters and Release Site locations. Thanks to our fantastic team, we sent 31% of them #backinthetress! These rewilding stories have taken an ample space in our hearts. We were thrilled to see animals like Hugo the armadillo, Ricardo the two-fingered sloth, and Flavio the kinkajou go back into the wild! It is important to remember that many of the animals we receive are in critical condition. To be able to rehabilitate them for a life back in the wild is why we do what we do. 31% is a favorable number, considering the number of animals we receive and the state in which they arrive.

You helped us raise more than $32,000 with our fundraisers!

In 2022 we had successful fundraisers: After a two-year sabbatical due to the pandemic, we welcomed our favorite charity concert: Tunes for Toucans! This fundraiser brings music, the community, and philanthropy together! 2022 was our biggest Tunes for Toucans; we sold out the venue and raised $5,019!

As part of our marketing intern’s legacy project, we virtually hosted the 3rd Annual Call for Artists crowdfunding campaign. With the most art submissions EVER, we raised $10,840 to build a brand-new Education Center at our Release Site!

Let us not forget the most anticipated sporting event of the year, the 7th Annual Sloth Ironman Games! We announced four amazing slothletes to the Ironman Field to compete for the gold, raising $8,264 for our Saving Sloths Together Program! We were excited to change up this year’s event by taking the Ironman Games to the Release Site.

As always, we had a stellar Giving Tuesday raising $8,455 for our #papayaislife operational fund. Your support is vital to us; without your help, we wouldn’t have been able to help many animals. We’re incredibly thankful to our community.

Together, you helped us raise $32,668 in fundraising projects!

You helped 13 animals on their rehabilitation journey through Cuddly!

Our partnership with Cuddly allowed us to help 13 animals in need in 2022. In total, you donated $14,590 that went directly to the rehabilitation process of rescued wildlife. These donations helped us treat, take care and even rewild animals like Felicity & Bagel, the two-fingered sloths, and Avril, the opossum!

We expanded our operations! 

Last year we added a significant complement to our Clinic: The Quarantine Suite! This has been a key addition to properly attending to the animals that come to our rescue center. A huge thank you to Lori and Jackie for their generous donations to make this a reality!

We also raised money for a brand new Education Center at our Release Site and started planning and designing it to build this year. Thanks to a generous grant, we have made some much-needed upgrades to existing enclosures by painting, updating wires, and doing an overall facelift of our sanctuary.

We collaborated with other organizations in favor of conservation!

We’re proud to have collaborated with other conservation organizations to make a change. This last year we worked alongside projects like Guarumo Restauración Ecológica, CR Wildlife Foundation of Nai Conservation, and Oncilla Conservation. We also got together with ESPH (Heredia Public Services) for reforestation projects and the prevention of wildlife electrocutions. TRR continued its collaboration with its sister organization, The Sloth Institute, for the Saving Sloths Together Program’s prosperity.

We hope these partnerships continue to grow in this new year!

We opened our doors to exciting film & media projects!

In 2022 we received incredibly talented professionals to create pretty exciting media projects. We are always eager to collaborate with photographers, filmmakers, and producers to share our stories. We can’t wait to show you these fantastic works this year – be on the lookout for Toucan Rescue Ranch on CBS, National Geographic, and EarthX TV! 

We expanded our Education Program and educated!

Education is an essential part of our work, and last year was a busy year for our Education Department. In 2022 we were lucky to participate in critical educational projects such as OurEcho Challenge, Educators for Animals Conference, Slothfest, and Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants. We also gave workshops about wildlife to local professionals, wildlife police, communities, and students! 

In loving Memory

Rescuing wildlife is a fulfilling duty, but there’s something we always have to be remembering ourselves: we can’t save all of them. Last year we had to say goodbye to animals that had stolen our hearts. Our team and the community that saw their journey with us will never forget them. Thanks for the memories. 

• Ty, the two-fingered sloth (2011-2022)
• Spok, Cara Cara (2014-2022)
• Tallulah, the two-fingered sloth (2021-2022)
• Mango, the keel-billed toucan (2021-2022)
• Teddy, the three-fingered sloth (2022-2022) 
• Reggae, the three-fingered sloth (2021-2022)
• Carmen, the northern tamandua (2022-2022)

In Loving Memory of Millie: the sloth who changed Toucan Rescue Ranch

2007-2022

The first sloth that ever came to Toucan Rescue Ranch. Our beloved Millie passed away at the end of 2022 after 15 years with us. Millie’s arrival transformed our rescue center, opening the doors to keep helping all types of animals. Her legacy will always be remembered as one of the reasons we rescue wildlife. 

She will always be in our hearts, and we’re thankful for all the memories we shared along the way.