Semana Santa

I have been gone from the refuge for two days. TWO days. While I was away, so much as changed already. First, the squirrels no longer need syringe feeding. Second, the baby birds are doing great, and starting to eat on their own. Third, someone brought in a two-day-old baby possum. Fourth, someone tricked us into getting a less-than-a-week-old kitten.
Now, it seems almost impossible to trick someone into getting a kitten, unless you work at a shelter. The man who brought the kitten in, told Encar on the phone that it was a very rare animal, that looked like a kitten but with a prehensile tail. The moment it arrived, Encar evaluated it, and sure enough it was a kitten. I came in this morning, and reaffirmed this conclusion, and as of now, I am the most knowledgeable on this rare Costa Rican animal. As my many years of taking care of little baby furballs will come in handy, we need to find it a home and trust me, Encar is planning on getting it castrated (as she calls it).
The baby possum is Jess and James' favorite animal so far. It looks like a naked mole rat, and refuses to eat until there is about .2 cL of milk left in its syringe (out of the .5 cL). I can't wait until it grows bigger and can eat on its own, because having this tiny little pink thing in your hand is terrifying. I am giant compared to it, and the force in my hand is enough to suffocate it if I am not careful. The little thing is lucky that I have anxiety which makes me extra careful with little baby ones. Also, if anyone didn't know, you need to stimulate peeing in a possum like you do with kittens. So I was shaking two animals' junks today to make them pee.
Love my job in the nursery.

We also had an injured iguana (which was named Furtado, after Nelly, Colton's pet beard dragon). His tail, its deadliest weapon, was cut off at the end, and his legs weren't responsive at the evaluation. Franklin, the governmental biologist who must review the refuge, theorized that he must have lost a fight to another animal, but that iguanas are very strong and after a few days in quarantine, if he regains the function of his legs, he will be able to be rehabilitated.

But what brings you up, can also bring you down. We received a little baby monkey, barely a week old with 90% burns all over its tiny body. It's my guess that the burns are old, as the skin looked like jerky at this point and skin had already flaked off. The best theory we could come up with is, unfortunately, a common one here in Costa Rica. The mother must have been electrocuted by an un-coated electrical line. The baby survived only because it received the shock through the mother, but it was in obvious pain. Encar and I had a little bit of hope as it was moving around, and holding on to the blanket. As soon as we gave it pain medication, we both knew that he was going to be a goner. His little eyes were struggling to stay open, and he wouldn't drink the milk. Encar and I both fell quiet and we knew what had to be done. With 90% of burns on its body, the University of San Jose didn't want to treat him, and with the facilities here, it would certainly get an infection. As I hummed "Hey Jude" by The Beatles to the tiny baby in my arms, he fell asleep. When I felt that his body had gone limp I put him on the table and Encar waited with her hand on his forehead until he was really gone. It was a silent and tough moment, as we had the kitten crying and Stefano (the sloth who lost his cuddle buddy a week ago) crying. Neither of us were in the mood to respond to those cries. Thankfully, Gisella came to the rescue with the kitten and took it for the entire day- after I taught her how to get him to pee, poo and to fed him.


While the center was struggling with the new arrivals, the people from all over central American are flooding in Puerto Viejo for Semana Santa (Holy week). The tourists are nice as they bring business to the locals, but they also bring crimes. I received an email from the US Embassy about armed robberies happened around town and areas surrounding town. Not only that, but my friends' house was broken into and everything they owned was stolen. 3000$ worth of camera equipement, their laptop and 3 months of work. It is things like this that reminds me how balanced the world is. I have met some of the most wonderful people out here, and some of the most frustrating people as well. The tourists have left trash on the beach, which I pick up while muttering in Spanish "Los hijos de puta, no es dificil a usar una basura." It is really not hard to use a trash. Lazy people frustrate me. People who only want the good frustrate me. The only positive thing from the tourists has been the increase in Policia Turistica around dangerous areas and the presence of Cruz Rojo (red cross) around the beach. Yet, even with this heightened security, one can't help but want things to go back to normal, without the terrible traffic, or the trash, or the belligerence drunk tourists. I think I am ready for Easter to be over, and Puerto Viejo to regain its charming little town feeling, where people are kind and people know each other.