• International Day of Biological Diversity

    It seems like Earth Day was just a few days ago. Around the world, many people carved time out of their day to plant some flowers or…


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  • Pebbles the Tamandua

    Pebbles is a female Northern Tamandua, officially known as Tamandua mexicana. This beautiful anteater species has a prehensile tail, four claws and, surprisingly to many, no…


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  • Mom & Baby Sloth Reunited!

    A few days ago the Toucan Rescue Ranch and Saving Sloths Together Release…


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  • It’s National Wildlife Day!

    A healthy environment is the foundation of human life. UN Environment That is why National Wildlife Day (NWD), celebrated twice…


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  • More Beautiful Wild

    Today is National Bird Day, a special day for those who are avid bird lovers and protectors and an important holiday, put together by the Avian Welfare…


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  • All Sloths a Swimming

    Blog entry written by Sam Trull of The Sloth Institute A Saving Sloths Together project update: Sloths are best known for their chill demeanor high up in…


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  • An Intern’s Farewell

    My name is Anaid Fernández, I’m 22 and from Monterrey, Mexico. I’m a vet student finishing my last year at Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León. Since my first year…


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  • From Across the Pond & Into the Jungle

    So, my name is Alice, I’m your average 26-year-old British girl. I’ve been working with animals for half a decade as a zoo presenter, zookeeper, and more recently (for…


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  • Idaho Girl Finds Paradise

    Howdy! I am the Release Site Coordinator at Toucan Rescue Ranch’s Release Site located in Sarapiqui de Heredia, Costa Rica. I’m from Sandpoint, Idaho, a little town located in the Idaho Panhandle, nestled between the Selkirk and Cabinet mountain ranges, alongside Lake Pend Oreille, not far from the Canadian border. I’m happiest when I am outdoors so you’re most likely to find me surfing the snow, blazing trails, or taking a dip in Pend Oreille. In the spring of 2016, I graduated with my B.S. in Business and Communications; I am currently in the process of applying to law school. I plan on studying environmental law, focusing on the conservation of natural resources in hopes of providing representation for individuals, organizations, animals, and our planet, who or which could not otherwise help themselves.  I first learned about TRR from my dear friend Zara Palmer, the TRR Marketing Specialist.  We were both working at a pizza shop atop our local ski hill. Over the course of the season, we shared countless stories and experiences, many of hers about TRR. Inspired by her stories, I applied to volunteer and happily was accepted!!! I remember the months leading up to my arrival at TRR seemed endless.  In July 2016, I packed my bags and spent two months at TRR as a Daily Operations Volunteer. I fell in love, with the animals, the people at the ranch, their mission, Costa Rica - all of it. Needless to say, two months was too short so I went home to save some dough. With little hesitation, I postponed law school for a year and committed to six more months with TRR. However, this time I would be returning as the Release Site Coordinator, an opportunity I am tremendously grateful for.  In this role my primary responsibilities incorporate my business skills as well as my love for animals and nature, they include conducting daily rounds, monitoring all animal care activities, and providing Leslie with regular status reports. My main focus includes implementing approved pre-release plans, monitoring and managing the Toucan Breeding Program, and identifying and communicating abnormal animal behaviors. In addition, I have some exciting projects I want to finish while I’m here. Two of which I am particularly excited about are geared toward sustainability: building a chicken coop and creating a vegetable garden.  Although my time at the Release Site will eventually come to an end, the Toucan Rescue Ranch will forever be with me for it has carved out a place in my heart. And I hope to always be apart of this extraordinary organization for the rest of my time here on planet earth.  By Release Site Coordinator Intern, Kendall Watts  Release Site Photos Captured by Kendall Watts  setREVStartSize({c: 'rev_slider_7_1',rl:[1240,1024,778,480],el:[],gw:[1240],gh:[868],layout:'fullwidth',mh:"0"}); var revapi7, tpj; jQuery(function() { tpj = jQuery; if(tpj("#rev_slider_7_1").revolution == undefined){ revslider_showDoubleJqueryError("#rev_slider_7_1"); }else{ revapi7 = tpj("#rev_slider_7_1").show().revolution({ jsFileLocation:"//toucanrescueranch.org/wp-content/plugins/revslider/public/assets/js/", duration:1000, visibilityLevels:"1240,1024,778,480", gridwidth:1240, gridheight:868, minHeight:"", spinner:"spinner0", responsiveLevels:"1240,1024,778,480", disableProgressBar:"on", shuffle:true, navigation: { onHoverStop:false }, viewPort: { enable:true, visible_area:"20%" }, fallbacks: { allowHTML5AutoPlayOnAndroid:true }, }); } });


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  • Esmeralda’s Rehab Journey

    I happened upon Esmeralda in my first week at the Toucan Rescue Ranch (TRR). She was clumsy and uncoordinated- the kind of animal I'm normally drawn to- so I instantly felt connected to her. As time went on, I learned she had come from the illegal pet trade, but there wasn't much else known about her history. She didn't fly and spent all of her time on the floor of the enclosure, struggling to grip or perch on branches. Once witnessing this, I made it my mission to get her perching and exercising her little feet. To encourage her to exercise her foot muscles, we spent time building low climbing structures she could navigate to reach her food bowls. More time passed, and her confidence slowly built as she managed to hop from branch to branch. Esmeralda was then moved to an enclosure with many small trees and a dirt floor. This was great for two reasons. She was able to hop between the lower branches of those small trees and continue to build strength in her feet, and secondly, the dirt floor allowed her a much better grip. Now, when I enter the enclosure, I see her hopping confidently without tripping and she is hard at work carving and decorating a nesting log recently added into her enclosure. I cannot express how special it is to see an animal grow and gain so much confidence in their abilities. Esmeralda is one of the reasons I chose to extend my volunteer stay here at TRR. It's animals like her that remind us to stay positive and keep persisting no matter how hard life is. By former volunteer Talia Harris 


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