“Trees are poems that the earth writes in the sky.” Khalil Gibran
For 10 years with heart & soul in animal welfare – that’s Animalma in 2024.
Dear Animalma family
I wish you a happy new year from the bottom of my heart. In 2024 Animalma celebrates its 10th anniversary & you are all part of this story. Thank you for accompanying us, supporting us and thus making many small and big miracles possible in Bolivia.
At the beginning… a little nostalgia
This first round anniversary makes me nostalgic and so I think back to exactly 10 years ago when I was in Bolivia for the second time. On the one hand, it was the deep passion I felt every day caring for the Andean bears and turtles, but also the educational work with visitors of the Senda Verde Wildlife Refuge, and on the other hand the financial hardship of this project and the appalling extent of the illegal wildlife trade that made me decide to take the leap into animal welfare.
I wanted to acquire animal expertise and fundraising skills – and that’s what I did. Through my training as an animal keeper and animal welfare specialist, with fundraising and project management courses, the development of Animalma and, last but not least, through a lot of “learning by doing”.
In addition to this wide-ranging knowledge, it was above all fantastic human and animal companions who inspired, motivated and kept me going over short and long distances on this not always easy journey.
I thank you from the bottom of my heart – as Sarah, as the Animalma association and also on behalf of all the wild animals, nature reserves and activists in Bolivia, to whom we are reaching out from Switzerland to create a better, greener and more (bio)diverse future.
Review 2023
We can look back on a 2023 packed with highlights – including milestones that I already mentioned in the last newsletter, such as the first volunteer trip to Bolivia in February, the accident and death insurance for the rangers of Madidi National Park, the young animal rights activists with their sales stand and my past birthday campaign, which will allow a wildfire protection centre continue to grow.
But a lot also happened in Bolivia and Switzerland in the second half of the year…
A bear cause
Thanks to the generous donations for the Animalma anniversary in 2022, the Senda Verde Wildlife Refuge was able to build a management enclosure for the two young Andean bears Thaky and Chojñita in mid 2023. This allowed them to move into their spacious, natural area, and the management enclosure ensures safe care and supervision.
In the following videos you can see the management enclosure on the left and get an insight into the acclimatisation phase (incl. intrigued neighbouring bear Tarkus) and on the right the development of Thaky and Chojñita as young bears up to their move into their enclosure.
The Andean bear (Tremarctos ornatus) is the only native bear species in South America and is threatened with extinction due to habitat loss and poaching. Mother bears leave their cubs in a safe place while they go in search of food. Poachers take advantage of this and steal the young animals to sell them as exotic pets.
Thaky and Chojñita were only a few weeks old when they arrived at Senda Verde in October 21 – totally terrified and exhausted. They only survived thanks to the expert care they received at the sanctuary. Animalma supports precisely this daily care through the emergency fund for Senda Verde.
Emergency aid for forest fires
June to October is the dry season in Bolivia and therefore unfortunately also the season for slash-and-burn fires. It was a bad “season” – the lack of rainfall and extreme heatwaves made it easy for the man-made fires. In addition to the forests in the east of the country, the protected areas of Pilon Lajas and Madidi National Park in the north also were in flames. It was heartbreaking to follow the terrible news and to know that the rangers in these nature reserves have neither the necessary logistics nor protective materials, but are still doing everything they can to control the flames.
Thanks to our nature conservation campaign, we were able to provide emergency aid and supply a firefighting team of rangers with first aid materials, torches, tools and rehydration drinks.
Gerardo Pozo, our ranger on site, with the relief supplies for the firefighting team
Ranger Alex Nay suffered serious lung poisoning during his missions and had to be transferred to a specialised clinic due to further symptoms. A cardiac arrhythmia (bradycardia) was diagnosed.
His basic insurance did not cover various examinations and medication, which was therefore covered by the accident insurance we took out. Alex is now feeling better again and will be able to go on patrol again from February. He would like to thank all Animalma donors for their help from afar during this difficult time.
Ranger Alex Nay, Madidi National Park
Anniversary celebration
On November 11th there was another anniversary celebration to mark the 9th anniversary of Animalma. As in the previous year, the Animalma family met at the youth centre in Effretikon for dinner, a toast and a get-together.
The sales stand needed a second table because Patricia from our “Team Bolivia 2023” was handicrafting like crazy in advance and the girls also brought along their artistic crafts. Of course, there was also the obligatory presentation from me and a serenade for everyone present.
Thank you for the wonderful evening, the help before and during the event and all the donations received!
Half of the roughly CHF 2,000 will go to the Senda Verde Wildlife Refuge and half to nature conservation in Bolivia.
Animalma on the radio
Our friend and supporter Raúl Calicaya Molina was also at the Animalma festival and invited me to his radio show “Voces de Latino America” (Voices from Latin America) shortly afterwards.
Although it was my second time in the studio with Raúl, I was once again incredibly nervous, because I was also there for the first time with my guitar and sang my song “From the woods” (minute 38). Have a listen – the interview is in Spanish and Swiss German, accompanied by beautiful and moving songs from Bolivia. Thanks also to Benny from “Team Bolivia 2023”, who accompanied me and was also interviewed 😉
Tortoise adoptions
Last year, the rangers of the Beni conservation area once again collected tortoise eggs to protect them from human consumption and ensure the conservation of the yellow-spotted river turtle.
Around 1000 tortoises were released into the wild after hatching. & here in Switzerland, there were many meaningful and sustainable Christmas presents in the form of a turtle adoption. The resulting donations of CHF 220 go directly back into the nature reserve “Reserva de la Biosfera Estación Biologica del Beni”.
Muchas gracias dear turtle godmothers & godfathers!
On January 12th 2024, the turtles were released in the presence of children, supporters of the adoption programme and the local press.
What’s going on in 2024?!?
First of all, at the beginning of the year we do what I like to do best, namely
Distributing donations!
Because in addition to the big highlights mentioned above, every single financial support from you is always a reason for a dance of joy. & we’ve been able to dance quite often in the past few months 😉
To save on transfer fees, we collect your donations for a while (with the exception of emergency aid, of course) and then send them to Bolivia in a bundle. This wonderful work is due now and so I am able to bring the following aid to the local animal and nature conservation front:
- CHF 800 will go to Senda Verde via our emergency fund and will be used for food and veterinary materials.
- CHF 220 will go to the Beni nature reserve thanks to the turtle adoptions
- We are extending the accident and death insurance for the Madidi’s rangers with the nature conservation share from the Animalma Festival 2023 and uncommitted donations
- The additional CHF 1,000 from the Animalma anniversary will go to the Senda Verde Wildlife Refuge for free disposal – because I know exactly how valuable this flexibility is
- Around CHF 1,000 will go to the “Centro de Formación de Bomberos Forestales Voluntarios Jaguares” volunteer forest firefighter project, which is currently being set up and was already supported on my last birthday
And because I – and hopefully you too – feel warm and fuzzy about this newsletter, all the highlights and assistance, we are of course continuing with our campaigns in this new year, which I would like to present to you again below.
Our campaigns
Whether fighting or preventing forest fires, providing direct aid to activists on the front line or making donations in kind to the rangers in the protected areas – we stand up for nature conservation in Bolivia.
#SOSSendaVerde – Emergency fund
Help the Senda Verde Wildlife Refuge through the aftermath of the corona crisis (yes, it is still being felt in Bolivia!).
The emergency fund provides food supplies and medical care for the more than 1000 animals at the reserve.
For the symbolic amount of CHF 10, you can adopt a turtle in Bolivia & contribute to its conservation.
The adoption certificate is also perfect as a meaningful gift.
A free or unrestricted donation is not received for a certain campaign, but is sent to us without a specific purpose. Animalma decides where the aid goes, which gives us immensely valuable flexibility in our work.
Leave the purpose blank or note “unrestricted” to support us in this way.
Traceability is guaranteed at all times with unrestricted donations too.
We cover all expenses such as website, bank and transfer fees etc. through association-related donations. With the donation purpose “Animalma”, you can help our association grow and support our work.
The llamas & monkeys are loose
From left to right Raúl, Rosita, Pedro & Juanita
I am delighted to announce that there are now some very special handmade items available to buy, namely the enchanting llamas Pedro, Juanita, Rosita and Raúl as well as the monkey Canola from my friend Patricia. She travelled to Bolivia with me at the beginning of 2023 and is now dedicating her time and creativity to our cause. Many thanks dear Patricia!
You can order the crocheted friends here using the button below or by sending an email to info@animalma.org. All proceeds from the sale will go to our projects in Bolivia.
I’m loose too…
…first of all on holiday, to Borneo. New country, new culture, new animal and jungle worlds waiting to be explored. Recharging batteries is the resolution for February so I can come back strengthened and inspired.
I will probably go back to Bolivia in July / August and I am already looking forward to returning to my second home, hopefully with lots of donations from Switzerland in my luggage 😉 Your support makes this possible and I would like to thank you once again from the bottom of my heart.
But before I say goodbye for good, here is one last treat…
Do you want to leave too?
I dare to look far ahead and am contemplating the idea of organising another volunteer trip to Bolivia in 2025. It would take at least three weeks – the first two to get to know the highlights of the country (La Paz – Lake Titicaca – Uyuni salt desert – Madidi National Park) and then to the Senda Verde Wildlife Refuge for a work assignment to help the wild animals and get to know this project.
Depending on the group composition, the programme can also be adapted to individual needs. An extended volunteer placement before or after the trip is possible. Please get in touch with me via info@animalma.org if you are interested in this adventure or be inspired by the travel report from Team Bolivia 2023.
With this foresight, I close this detailed newsletter and return to the here & now, to January 2024. I am looking forward to the anniversary year ahead of us and am excited to see where this year’s journey will take us dear Animalma family. Thank you for your support up to this point and hopefully to many more years in which we will be active in animal welfare together – as always with heart & soul.
Saludos y abrazos
Your Sarah & Animalma