Animalma Association

Anniversary newsletter

Animalma by Sarah Animalma, Nature protection, Wildlife refuge Senda Verde , , 0 Comment
Anniversary newsletter

The secret of life lies in seeking and finding the light.
Albert Schweitzer

10 years Animalma

Dear Animalma family

Our organisation was founded 10 years ago today – a fantastic and somewhat crazy idea became a reality and an as yet unknown path opened up. I have to admit that my initial naivety about easily generating donations in Switzerland for Bolivia was quickly overtaken by reality. Fundraising is hard work, and so is ramping up a project like Animalma.
And so this path has led me through ups and downs, but from the beginning until today I have always been accompanied by wonderful supporters, inspiring encounters come at just the right moment and all the small and big miracles that we have been able to achieve in Bolivia over the last 10 years give me the strength to keep going.

Without you, dear Animalma family, all this would have remained a dream. I would therefore like to take this opportunity to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your continued support.

You are simply awesome and I celebrate every single one of you.
¡Muchissimas gracias!

In this very special anniversary newsletter, I will tell you about my last trip to Bolivia, what is currently happening in our country of assignment and what a wonderful milestone is coming up next year.

Bolivia trip 2024

Packed with my trekking equipment and around CHF 400 from the mini-campaign, I set off on a three-week trip to my second home country in July.

On the way to the jungle, I was able to meet the volunteer firefighters from Ixiamas at our last stop in civilisation. They are part of the Jaguares forest firefighters, whom we have been supporting with Animalma for two years. It was a great honour for me to meet this female-led group in person and present them with their shirts bearing the Animalma logo.

Inspired by this encounter and full of anticipation, we set off on our 10-day adventure in Madidi National Park. For two days, we hiked through the thicket with bag and baggage until we reached the Rio Madidi. We drifted down the river for six days with self-made fins and observed the wonderful flora and fauna of the Bolivian Amazon. Every evening we set up camp, lit a fire to cook and then philosophised for hours about nature and its threats, the challenges in Bolivia and listened to the rangers’ stories.
Once off the tranquility of the river, we spent another two days on foot over rough jungle terrain, which pushed each of our group of six to their limits in one way or another.

I am happy to take you on our Madidi adventure via the following gallery…

What moved me the most was, on the one hand, this incredible peace that sets in far away from civilisation and also allows the head and heart to rest. We get back into a natural rhythm, get up with the sun and are so much happier when we only have what we really need. A cup of coffee becomes a luxury, a dip in the river feels like wellness and the choir of howler monkeys is the best concert ever.

& this feeling of wandering through an intact jungle, seeing its diversity and natural balance and sitting in deep reverence under a 400-year-old tree – simply indescribable… liberating, inspiring, deeply moving.

Back in civilisation…

…we made another stopover in Ixiamas and I took the opportunity to use some of our donations to buy a 1000 litre water tank for the firefighters of Ixiamas.

The joy was huge and this equipment is extremely important for the volunteer firefighters because it saves valuable time in the event of a fire.

I handed over the remaining donations to my friend and vet Carla, realising her dream of running her own campaign to help dogs and cats near nature reserves with parasite and vitamin treatments. & thus also protect wild animals from parasites. In two days, three vets treated over 200 animals with the help of volunteers. They topped it all off with educational lessons for children at the primary school in Ixiamas.

I am happy to share with you the touching impressions of this wonderful mission in the following video:

Once again, these two examples show how much we can achieve through Animalma in Bolivia. Thank you to Katrin, Fabian and an anonymous supporter for your donations – you have made these two miracles a reality.

Of course, I also visited the Senda Verde Wildlife Refuge on this trip. I am glad that they have a consistent and dedicated team looking after the 1000+ wild animals and that their educational work in the form of guided tours is very popular with the local population. I also particularly celebrate their wild bee project, the butterfly breeding and the fact that Senda Verde sensitises its visitors to the smallest and yet so essential creatures.

We continue to support Senda Verde with basic supplies through the emergency fund:

#SOSSenda Verde – Emergency fund

Help Senda Verde through the aftermath of the corona crisis (yes, it is still being felt in Bolivia!).

The emergency fund provides food and medical care for the more than 1000 animals at the reserve.

Bolivia today

Since my return, Bolivia has literally been in flames – it is one of the worst fire seasons in recent years. 100,000 square kilometres of forest and savannah have fallen victim to the flames; according to biologists, around 10 million vertebrates have died. These are numbers and effects that are beyond our imagination and deeply shock me.

Impressions of this year’s forest fires in Bolivia

That’s why I’ve spent the last few weeks providing emergency aid to the rangers and volunteer firefighters. A first aid delivery in the form of food and petrol for the necessary logistics went to the San Matias protected areas and the Noel Kempff Mercado in September.

At the beginning of October, I received another call for help from the Noel Kempff UNESCO World Heritage Site. The rangers and volunteers were faced with a 60-kilometre stretch of fire – the only solution was to use a skidder (a large forestry vehicle) to create firebreaks.
Out of necessity, I wrote an email to all of you and am still overwhelmed: the CHF 1,000 for the required fuel came together within 24 hours!

We received so many donations that we were also able to support the San Matias reserve once again and are currently clarifying with the rangers how we will utilise the remaining CHF 1,750.

In a really dark moment for Bolivia and for me, you were once again the light that brought hope back to us. THANK YOU!

Thanks to recent rainfall, the situation has eased somewhat and the redemptive rainy season is due in November. What remains is irreparable damage to various ecosystems and species, the loss of the livelihoods of many indigenous people, anger and disappointment in the population towards the state and a government that actively promotes this slash-and-burn agriculture and whose ‘aid’ is pure farce.

To end this section with a glimmer of hope, I would like to share a story with you. It is written by Fabiola, a Bolivian woman living in Switzerland, who has accompanied me and Animalma for many years and who, inspired by my appeal for help, expresses her pain in the written word.

Tränen aus Asche, Keime der Hoffnung

Lágrimas de Ceniza, Brotes de Esperanza

English translation pending

Outlook for the coming year

& here it is at last, the milestone that awaits us next year and will take Animalma to new shores!

In collaboration with the organisation @fire, which has been training firefighters in forest firefighting for many years and sends emergency personnel to crisis areas, we are organising three two-day training courses in Bolivia next spring for rangers from various nature reserves and for our volunteer forest firefighters Jaguares.

I am incredibly proud that I will be travelling to Bolivia in April 2025 with five specialists from Switzerland to implement this preventive and sustainable measure. There is still a lot to do before then: the course content is being developed by the experts, potential sponsors are being sought, the trip and logistics are being organised and, in particular, the funding needs to be secured.

That’s why I’m sharing with you the associated online campaign that marks the start of this wonderful endeavour:

Fighting wildfires with knowledge

Forest firefighting training for rangers and volunteer firefighters in Bolivia – with the specialists from @fire, supported by Animalma

Before we set off on this adventure in April, I hope to see you in person in March 2025. Because that’s when we’ll be celebrating 10 years of Animalma at our next anniversary party – better late than never!
More information will follow in the next newsletter at the beginning of the year at the latest. Until then, I wish you a wonderful time and send you a heartfelt THANK YOU once again for all your support over the last 10 years, for accompanying us on this crazy and yet wonderful journey together.

Your Sarah
from Animalma

Summer newsletter 2024

Animalma by Sarah Animalma, Nature protection, Wildlife refuge Senda Verde , 0 Comment
Summer newsletter 2024

“Look deeply into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” Albert Einstein

Dear Animalma-Family

In a month’s time, I will finally be travelling to Bolivia again. I’m really looking forward to my home of heart, to visiting our projects and, of course, especially to seeing what our donations are achieving on the ground.

A big personal highlight will be the 10-day jungle trip deep into the Madidi National Park. We will be travelling by raft in the “Alto Madidi”, spending the night in a tent, trekking through the Amazon without any civilisation or mobile phone reception. Pure nature – a dream come true…

Before I embark on this adventure, I would like to share with you my favourite achievements since spring.

Insurance for rangers extended

As communicated in the last newsletter, we used half of the donations from the 2023 anniversary celebration and unrestricted donations to extend the accident and death insurance for the 27 rangers of Madidi National Park.

Since the beginning of March 2024, they can therefore feel safer in their demanding and dangerous job for another year. This is nature conservation on the front line!

Click here…

…to the blog post of this story – including the personal fate of Alex, who needed our insurance last year.

“Margay mesh” for Senda Verde

The other half of the anniversary donations went to the Senda Verde Wildlife Refuge. & they could really use this help – with the arrival of another jaguar, they had to make changes in the big cats area.
The Margays’ existing enclosure was converted for the jaguar and the Margays were given new accommodation. With the CHF 1’000.- from Switzerland, they were able to buy the high-quality wire mesh fence for Sascha and Asjari’s enclosure.

A big thank you from the Senda Verde team to everyone who took part in the Animalma festival!

Birthday campaign

At the beginning of March, I launched my annual birthday campaign – an incredible CHF 1’285.- in birthday donations reached me from all over Switzerland for the “Jaguares” volunteer fire brigade. Thank you very much!

& because this project, which trains, equips and coordinates volunteers from the local population in and around nature reserves to fight forest fires, is so valuable to Animalma, we have contributed donations with no specific purpose.

After careful consideration and deliberation, the Jaguares were able to buy

  • 3 fire-fighting backpacks
  • 10 safety helmets
  • 6 radios
  • various shovels, rakes, hoes, an axe and machetes
  • 10 accident insurance policies for the volunteers
  • 2 tents and petrol for logistics
  • 1 first aid kit and
  • 1 printer & writing materials

and carry out 3 training courses.

Muchas gracias from initiator Marcos Uzquiano and the now 58 volunteer firefighters who, thanks to you, will be able to manage the upcoming fire season more effectively and safely.

Update birthday campaign 24

Here you can find the official campaign update with the final account and all purchased materials.

Article in the Glückspost

Susy Utzinger herself presented us with a wonderful highlight: an interview with writer and journalist Blanca Imboden. The result of this two-hour conversation appeared in Glückspost at the end of March. You can read the article here:

Article “A life for the animals of South America” in the Glückspost

New page under “Knowledge protects”

Not only Blanca but also I wrote in spring: Introducing a country as multifaceted as Bolivia and bringing it closer to you is not that easy and yet it has long been my wish.
In the “Knowledge protects” section, you can now find an overview of our country of assignment, its beautiful, unique aspects and also the tough challenges that we face time and again under

Our Bolivia

What marvellous milestones, aren’t they? Definitely fitting for our 10th anniversary, which we are celebrating this year. I’m excited to see what else this anniversary year will bring us.

First of all, I’m travelling to Bolivia. & as experience has shown that I always unexpectedly come across animals, nature reserves and/or activists on site who are dependent on our support, I am sharing with you my travel campaign

Bolivia 2024.

I will take all donations received with me to Bolivia and use them exactly where they are needed most urgently and effectively – whererever it may be.

I would like to thank you in advance for your support – be it in the form of a financial contribution or by forwarding this campaign and sharing it on your social media channels.

DONATE NOW

I wish you, dear Animalma family, a wonderful summer! The next newsletter will follow in autumn at the latest and I am sure it will again be full of wonderful highlights made possible by your support.

Muchas gracias y saludos,
Sarah from Animalma

Update birthday campaign 2024

Animalma by Sarah Animalma, Campaigns, Nature protection , , , 1 Comment
Update birthday campaign 2024

Small things are responsible for big changes. – Paulo Coelho

So many gifts…

…in the form of a donation were received for Sarah’s birthday in March 2024, so that we were able to count an incredible CHF 1’285.- in the donation pot.

Many thanks to Anita, Patricia, Max and many supporters
who prefer to remain anonymous.

Because we at Animalma wanted to increase the effect of this generosity and the joy of the voluntary forest fire fighters, we added unrestricted donations and were thus able to donate an impressive CHF 2’630.- to the Centro de formación de bomberos forestales voluntarios “Jaguares” (training centre for volunteer forest fire fighters “Jaguares”) project.

Thank you Darleen, Sina, Fabian and Simone for your trust.

The result

The generous help from Switzerland was used for the following fire protection and training materials:

  • 3 firefighting backpacks with 20 litre capacity from Fireline
  • 10 protective helmets from Portwest, resistant to high temperatures
  • 6 Motorola radios with 32, 40 & 56 km range
  • 1 Pulaski axe
  • 1 forestry shovel & 1 hoe
  • 3 rakes
  • 4 machetes
  • 1 McLeod multifunctional tool (for drawing firebreaks)
  • 2 tents & petrol for logistics within the fire areas
  • 10 accident insurance policies for the volunteers
  • 1 first aid kit
  • 1 printer & writing materials
  • 3 training courses

They will be of enormous importance in the upcoming and many other fire seasons. Once again, we are deeply touched by how we achieve great things on a small scale!

Below are a few pictures of the materials and impressions from two courses; one for the EBB rangers, one for the population and students of a small community within the protected area:

Many thanks on behalf of the Jaguar firefighters, Sarah and Animalma!

DONATE NOW

Our Bolivia

Our Bolivia

The beauty of Bolivia leaves you speechless – like here in Los Yungas.

Our country of assignment, Bolivia, introduces itself – with its beautiful, but also its dark sides.

Home of the heart

Our founder Sarah Fehr got to know and love Bolivia while travelling through South America. Her life was turned upside down when she volunteered at the Senda Verde animal reserve; since then, she has passionately pursued her path in animal welfarce and nature conservation with Animalma.

Bolivia, our country of assignment, is one of the countries with the highest biodiversity in the world, both in terms of flora and fauna. That is why we would like to introduce you to our heartland, its natural treasures, but also their threats.

The overview

Bolivia is often referred to as the heart of South America, as it is centrally located between Peru, Paraguay, Chile, Argentina and Brazil on the South American continent.

12 million inhabitants live in a country of around 1,000,000 km2 (approx. 26 times the size of Switzerland). The Bolivian population is diverse and a colourful cultural mix of indigenous people (Quechua, Aymara, Chiquitanos, Guaraní, Moxos), “mestizos” (partly of indigenous & partly of European origin from the colonial era), whites and Afro-Bolivians.

The 36 official national languages and the term “plurinational state” defined in the constitution symbolise the multi-layered and therefore often complex encounter between different cultures.

Where different ecosystems meet, there is an incredible diversity of species. In Bolivia, it is the majestic Andes mountains and the evergreen Amazon that create an extremely diverse flora and fauna. In addition to 17’000 plant species, there are

  • 389 mammals
  • 1’435 bird species
  • 908 different fishes
  • 313 reptiles
  • 251 amphibians and
  • 13’719 insects

which have been counted to date.

The heights of the Andes are home to llamas, alpacas and vicuñas, as well as Andean foxes, condors, flamingos and many other animal species. The habitat of the spectacled bear – the only bear species in South America – stretches from the high mountains through the cloud forests down to the Amazon.

In the world’s largest remaining rainforest, jaguars are at the top of the food chain and ensure balance within the ecosystem.
The trees are home to various species of parrots, toucans, sloths and different primates, while caimans, river dolphins, giant otters, capybaras and piranhas live on the ground and in the waters – to name but a few.

Although around 15% of Bolivia’s land area has been declared protected areas and national parks, this marvellous biodiversity is endangered.

Photos by Kristi Odom, Maxine Lister & Noelia Chalfoun

The challenges

Meat, fire & cocaine

At 6.7 million square kilometres, the Amazon is the largest remaining rainforest on earth and is not only home to countless animal species and indigenous people, but is also directly linked to the global climate.
It is endangered by deforestation and slash-and-burn agriculture – including in Bolivia. The country is home to 6,6% of the Amazon – that may not sound like much, but it covers an impressive 442’200 square kilometres, that’s 10 times Switzerland.

The destroyed areas are used as grazing land for cattle or as soya plantations, the harvests of which flow back into livestock farming. In addition, there are large coca plantations that extract all the nutrients from the soil. The plants are processed into cocaine in laboratories deep in the forests of Bolivia and distributed all over the world via smuggling routes.

In 2022, Bolivia ranks third in the loss of tropical rainforest worldwide for the third year in a row, 10% of the 41,000 km2 of primary forest lost. At the same time, the export of beef – especially to China – is increasing annually, for example by 299% from 2019 to 2020.

Illegal wildlife trade, corruption & poverty

The illegal wildlife trade is the fourth largest criminal activity in the world with an estimated turnover of USD 9 – 23 billion and is only topped by drug, counterfeit and human trafficking. In addition to local demand in South America, endangered species in particular generate high sales in the international destinations of North America, Europe and Asia. The animals are kept as exotic pets or parts of them are consumed in rituals, “traditional medicine” or as bushmeat.

Wildlife trafficking is often linked to other criminal activities and is fuelled by corruption and poverty – as is the case in Bolivia. The production of cocaine gives the illegal wildlife trade in Bolivia a special twist, as cocaine laboratories are hidden deep within the natural habitats of many coveted animal species. Small aeroplanes, airstrips and existing smuggling routes are used for the export and transit of wild animals in addition to the drug trade.

Particularly affected in Bolivia are birds (various parrot species), primates, Andean bears, caimans, vicuñas and jaguars – the latter’s rice teeth are traded in China as a fertility elixir.

Gold, Gold, Gold

The illegal exploitation of gold at the expense of the environment is a harsh and often concealed reality in Bolivia as well as in other South American countries. Rivers in the middle of nature reserves are contaminated with mercury, indigenous peoples fall ill and are exposed to blackmail, violence and greed for profit. Activists and rangers face a powerful, corrupt mining lobby.

A secretly taken video by an activist of illegal gold mining in the Bolivian Amazon

The hope

Staggering facts and figures dominate the preceding paragraphs. But as long as these unique ecosystems are not completely destroyed despite all the challenges, there is hope. Bolivia’s younger generations are taking to the streets in defence of nature. There are incredibly inspiring personalities on the ground who are fighting with all their might against the greed for profit and for the preservation of this natural paradise; such as Vicky Ossio & Marcelo Levy from Senda Verde, ranger & activist Marcos Uzquiano, indigenous protector Ruth Alipaz, veterinarian Carla “Carlita” Prudencia and many more.

Animalma supports this hope and this fight from Switzerland. With our campaigns, we help animal and nature conservationists on the front line to rescue and care for poached animals, fight forest fires and support endangered nature reserves. We are regularly on the ground, visit our projects, provide immediate aid in emergencies and want to be a voice for Bolivia. Our message:

Bolivia may be a small, unassuming country in South America, but it is home to incredible biodiversity that now needs our help and our voice.

Be part of our mission by supporting our projects:

Protecting Bolivia’s nature

Our nature conservation project includes sending fire-fighting teams and veterinarians to crisis areas, preventive measures against forest fires, help for rangers in nature reserves and much more.

#SOSSendaVerde

Since the coronavirus pandemic, we have been supporting the Senda Verde animal reserve in providing basic care (food and medical care) for the 1000 wild animals in the reserve.

HELP NOW
Sources & further information

Introduction to Bolivia for children (& adults) in German: https://www.kinderweltreise.de/kontinente/suedamerika/bolivien/daten-fakten/steckbrief/

Facts about the Amazon (in German): https://www.wwf.ch/de/wo-wir-arbeiten/amazonas-kronjuwel-der-weltnatur

Biodiversity & ecosystems in Bolivia: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/329625697_Biodiversity_in_Bolivia_Selected_Countries_in_the_Americas_and_Australia

Report on the illegal wildlife trade on the ground: https://www.iucn.nl/app/uploads/2021/04/an_assessment_of_wildlife_poaching_and_trafficking_in_bolivia_and_suriname1.pdf

Deforestation & meat export: https://research.wri.org/gfr/latest-analysis-deforestation-trends & https://trendeconomy.com/data/h2/Bolivia/02

Insurance for the rangers of Madidi National Park 2024

Animalma by Sarah Campaigns, Nature protection , , 0 Comment
Insurance for the rangers of Madidi National Park 2024
3 of the 27 rangers, who now have an accident and whole life insurance thanks to our help from Switzerland.

We help the rangers of Madidi National Park for the second time with an accident and whole life insurance.

The Madidi National Park in the Bolivian Amazon is the most biodiverse conservation area worldwide.

It is protected by 27 rangers; they are in the crossfire of illegal wildlife trade, exploitation (especially gold and wood) and slash-and-burn for meet and cocaine production.

It is a dangerous, hard job in the middle of nowhere, too often outnumbered.

The Madidi, its’ preservation and thus its’ rangers have become a strong part in our mission since first visiting this natural wonder.

Thanks to the Animalma anniversary in 2023, a donation from “Team Bolivia” and unrestricted donations, we were able to extend the accident and death insurance for the rangers of Madidi National Park for another year.

For the total amount of CHF 1’230, the 27 rangers are insured for a further 12 months from March 2024 in case anything should happen to them during their demanding work.

The insurance covers

  • Accidental death USD 10’000.-
  • Permanent partial or full invalidity USD 10’000.-
  • Reimbursement for medications USD 1’000.-

and has cost USD 51.72 per person.

The coverage started on 1st of March 2024 for one year.

The past year has shown that this form of support is of immense importance in an emergency. During the forest fires at the end of 2023, 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 investigations and medication, which was therefore covered by the accident insurance we took out.

Alex is now feeling better again and has been able to go on patrol again since February.

He would like to thank all Animalma donors for their help from afar during this difficult time. His story shows and confirms that our help is indeed effective.

We thank all guests from the Animalma anniversary ’23, the godmother of Janine Brechbühl as well as other anonymous donors, who gave us financial aid without a special purpose. You made this help possible.

It is thanks to you, that the rangers and their families can feel saver this year!

HELP US

Newsletter January 2024

Animalma by Sarah #SOSLaSendaVerde, #SOSLaSendaVerde_News, Campaigns, Nature protection , 0 Comment
Newsletter January 2024

“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

Protecting Bolivia’s nature

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.

Adopt a turtle

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.

The free donation

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.

Advertising on our own behalf

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.

Crochet friends order

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

Team Bolivia 2023 – The travel report

Animalma by Sarah #SOSLaSendaVerde, Nature protection , 0 Comment
Team Bolivia 2023 – The travel report

The beauty of travelling is, that you never come back the same as you left.

What once started off as a crazy idea and was harshly put to a halt by the Corona pandemic, has finally come true in Februar 2023: Three courageous people followed my call and joined the very first volunteer trip through Bolivia. My heart nearly burst of joy when they finally arrived at the airport of La Paz on the 23rd of February.

My Team Bolivia 2023

Janine, Patricia and Benny are work colleagues, friends and Animalma supporters. Despite of being tired from the long journey, they were as excited as I was to finally get to know Bolivia and the projects and people they have been supporting from Switzerland.

I happily share with you the highlights of our two weeks trip through Bolivia. For every destination you will find a short description and a picture gallery. Just click on any picture for high resolution and access to the gallery.

La Paz

La Paz is the highest-located city in the world and is nestled in the Andes with an altitude from 3800 up to 4100 meters above sea level.

We strolled through the colourful streets of La Paz, explored the markets (Beware of very high shopping risk!), observed the hustle and bustle on the plazas and got accustomed to the relaxed but nevertheless lively Bolivian groove.

We overlooked the city from the rooftop terrace from our hotel, enjoyed vegetarian and vegan dishes in the fancy district Sopocachi and shopped the first presents for our loved ones back home and the obligatory woollen jackets for our trip in the countless artesanal markets.

Lago Titicaca / Isla del Sol

The majestic lake Titicaca is situated in the north of the country, only two hours from La Paz shared by the neighbouring country Peru. We chartered a private ship in the village of Copacabana and cruised the endless-seeming waters until we reached the Sun island. Legend says that the very first Incas were sent down to this very island by the god Inti, from where they started to set up their famous empire.

We climbed up the first Inka stairs of our journey, discovered different ruins and enjoyed the tranquilitiy and vastness far away from everyday life. It was the perfect start of our adventure and a dive into Bolivian culture.

Salar de Uyuni

The biggest salt desert on earth (as you see Bolivia is definitely a superlative country) is in Uyuni, about 12 hours from La Paz. Our driver Jésus and his little bus “Jota” drove us savely through the country, while we enjoyed the view of the stunning Andes as well as little villages in the middle of nowhere filled with friendly people and doggies.

After a short stay at the salt hotel (yes it is a hotel built of salt), we got picked up by our guides at 4 o’clock in the morning and drove out into the salt flat. We were all in awe of the endlessness of this mystical place and were watching how a beautiful starry sky changed into a stunning sunrise.

During the following day tour, we visited the train cementary, a traditional salt production and then drove through this surreal world of the salt desert – a day filled with magical moments, countless photo sessions and a wonderful lunch.

Our guides from America Tours gave us an unforgettable Uyuni experience and also made us aware of the threats facing the salt flats (lithium exploitation) and how they still need side jobs to survive, as tourism hasn’t fully recovered since the pandemic.

Madidi National Park / Las Pampas

The salt desert was followed by another highlight – visiting the Bolivian Amazon. We embarked with a small boat from Rurrenabaque and traveled up the river, got to know indigenous villages and traditions along the way, learned more about the Madidi National Park at the checkpoint of the rangers and arrived in the middle of the rainforest at the beautiful camp of Mashaquipe.

& my travel companions had the very same experience as myself when first arriving in the jungle: It is a purely magical place far away from our hectic civilization, it instantly calms one down and brings peace to the mind and happiness to the heart. It roots one back to the core values of humanity, showing a unique biodiversity living in symbiosis and the thought of its destruction is deeply affecting.
So in this special state of mind, we hiked on small paths through the jungle, listened to the interesting facts and stories of our guide and the mighty, omnipresent sounds of nature. We spotted sloths, primates, birds, butterflies and marvelled at beautiful flowers and trees as old as 300 years.


The nature reserve “Las Pamas” is discovered by boat and so this wetland with its countless arms of rivers (and even more mosquitos) is an easy, relaxing way to spot wildlife close-up.
Caimans were waiting patiently for their next prey, river dolphins swam around the boat, squirrel monkey troops foraged in the bushes and turtles as well as birds took a sunbath on the rocks and trunks along the river benches.

Senda Verde

As the “grande finale” of our time in Bolivia, we visited our heart project, the wildlife refuge Senda Verde, and my “Team Bolivia” helped on the forefront by volunteering at the centre.
They supported the animal caretakers in breeding butterflies, cleaning and feeding in the big bird aviary, taking care of howler monkey babies, capuchins, Andean bears and many more fascinating animals.

The harsh fate of these animals, being victims of wildlife trafficking within the Amazon and some held as pets for years or even decades, visibly affected my friends. But this heaviness got compensated by the satisfaction of helping these beautiful beings and this unique project – be it through volunteering on-site or from far away Switzerland with a donation.

It was a very special pleasure for me to show my Team Bolivia, where their donations are going, how they are used and how valuable this support via Animalma is – at Senda Verde as well as through different nature protection campaigns.

The conclusion

Bolivia is a fascinating travel destination with a wide variety of sites and activities. Even though we have been on the road nearly non-stop during those two weeks, we have only seen a little part of this diverse country. All three members of the “Team Bolivia 2023” were deeply impressed by it and all of them want to go back one day – but with more time 😉

Besides an incredible nature with fascinating flora and fauna, the Bolivians also inspired us with their friendliness, generosity and their leisureliness.

& for me personally, it was a huge milestone to finally realize this dreams of mine, this volunteer journey, and it was an honor to be able to show “my Bolivia” to my friends and supporters.

For now, I leave it open if or when I will offer this volunteer trip again, but interested people can contact me (via info@animalma.org) and who knows, maybe there will be a “Team Bolivia 2024”!

In the meantime, help the projects we’ve visited:

Donate now

Newsletter 2023

Animalma by Sarah #SOSLaSendaVerde, #SOSLaSendaVerde_News, Campaigns, Nature protection , 0 Comment
Newsletter 2023

Making a big difference in small steps – this is Animalma. Also in 2023.

Dear Animalma family

It has been quiet here in the news section for a while, although a lot has happened since the end of last year and the beginning of 2023. I’m happy to give you, dear supporters, an update on what’s been going on.

8 years Animalma

On the 29th of October we celebrated Animalma’s 8th anniversary with a great food buffet, a sweet stall and a presentation of our history. It was just wonderful to spend the evening with you all – looking back and celebrating what we have achieved together for and in Bolivia.

I still think back to this event with a big smile on my face and want to thank everyone for being there. A special “Gracias” goes out to Ximena for her beautiful handicrafts and for managing the sales.

If you also want to remember this evening, you can do so through the following post:

8 years Animalma

Animalma was founded on the 22nd of October 2014 – so it was high time to finally celebrate our anniversary.
A large part of the Animalma family found their way to the youth club in Effretikon on the 29th October 2022 for the birthday party.

Going back home

In January I treated myself to a one month timeout in Costa Rica; a country well known for its high standards of animal welfare and nature conservation. It was fascinating to see how humans and animals coexist mostly peacefully next to eatch other – an achievement made possible by decent and free education, as well as strict laws and even stricter enforcement.

Relaxed and with new strength I headed on to Bolivia, where my friends and projects were waiting for me. With the donation pot as full as never before, I couldn’t wait to get it right there to the front where it belongs.

Here are the highlights made possible by your donations:

The most heartwarming donation…

…came from Anna, Finja, Iara and Kian. These four young animal welfarists were so inspired after the Animalma anniversary, that they started making handicrafts the day after and sold them in their neighbourhood.

They raised CHF 300, which I used to buy nappies, special milk powder and vitamins for the baby monkeys at Senda Verde Wildlife Refuge. These are vital but expensive items for the sanctuary and they were over the moon when I told them the story behind this very special donation.

This dedication deserves its own post: Little animal welfarists going big.

The most consistent support…

…keeps going on thanks to the Emergency Fund for Senda Verde and the refuge is very grateful for our continuous contribution to food and medical supplies for the animals.

Several individual and monthly donations added up to an amazing amout of CHF 1’000.- assisting with the daily care of the 1000 wild animals living at Senda Verde. We are keeping up this vital campaign:

#SOSSendaVerde – Emergency fund

Help the animal shelter Senda Verde through the afthermath of the Corona crisis.
The emergency fund helps to feed the 1000 wild animals of the refuge and gives them medical care.

The most innovative help…

…was made possible by our anniversary. I promised to donate a third of all donations to a conservation cause, and this came in the form of an accident and life insurance policy for the 27 park rangers working in Madidi National Park.

Since March, the rangers and their families will be taken care of in case of an accident or worse, which is a great relief in this high-risk job.

Only you, dear Animalma family, have made this huge milestone possible. Once again, there are no words to express the gratitude of the rangers, nor my own. So I’ll just say THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.

This very special help has its own post too.

Setting up the insurance in Februar 2023 with the “jefe de protección” of the Madid National Park and thanks to the activist Marcos Uzquiano.

& also the most personal campaign…

…my yearly birthday appeal, goes to conservation. All your gifts in form of donations will help setting up a new fire prevention centre in Rurrenabaque. Perfectly located between the nature reserves Madidi, Pilon Lajas and the EBB, this project will provide a central storage and distribution point for fire-fighting equipment, as well as training for volunteer firefighters.

The volunteer journey

Next to all the miracles made possible by your support, there was another highlight waiting: the very first volunteer trip through Bolivia.

A small but powerful group of the Animalma family visited me in Bolivia and the two week journey was full of adventure and inspiration:

  • We strolled through the lievely, colourful streets and markets of La Paz – at a leisurely pace due to the altitude.
  • We cruised the Titicaca lake and followed the traces of the first Incas on the sun island.
  • We stood in awe in the middle of the Uyuni salt flats, watching the stary night give way to a legendary sunrise.
  • We visited the Bolivian Amazon rainforest, encountered sloths, primates and birds and listened to the wisdom of wonderful people, letting us know their culture.
  • & we finished our trip by volunteering at Senda Verde, taking care of animals as diverse as Andean bears, butterflies, tapirs and various primates.

It was incredibe to show “my Bolivia” to my supporters and friends. Despite altitude sickness, countless mosquito bites and many hours on rocky roads, there was only one conclusion: Bolivia is amazing! & the whole “Team Bolivia” wants to go back one day – but for longer. 😊

Team Bolivia – The travel report

Here it is – the travel report of our very first volunteer trip. Find out more about the places we visited & get lost in the Bolivian feeling by browsing through the photo galleries.

& what’s next?

Once again this trip to Bolivia has strengthened me in my mission: Animalma makes a big difference in small steps. And we continue to do so – currently through the following campaigns:

#SOSSendaVerde – Emergency fund

Help the animal shelter Senda Verde through the afthermath of the Corona crisis.
The emergency fund helps to feed the 1000 wild animals of the refuge and gives them medical care.

Protecting Bolivia’s nature

Whether it is fighting and preventing forest fires, providing direct aid to frontline activists, or donating equipment to rangers in protected areas, we are working to protect Bolivia’s environment.

This vital work finally has its’ proper campaign site too, hopefully reaching even more supporters.

There will be another celebration of Animalma’s 9th anniversary in the autumn. It will most likely take place on the 11th of November – details to follow 😉.

Apart from that, 2023 has been declared a “cleanup year”. Overhauling the website, optimising the newsletter & flyer, creating a meaningful give-away and many more to-do’s and inspirations are waiting to be brought to life and finally get the space they need.

I wish you all a wonderful, relaxing summer and hope to see you all in autumn at the Animalma celebration at the latest. Thank you so much for your loyal support – it means the world to me! <3

Your Sarah
from Animalma

Little animal welfarists going big

Animalma by Sarah #SOSLaSendaVerde, #SOSLaSendaVerde_Thanks, Campaigns , , 0 Comment
Little animal welfarists going big

Even freezing winter temperatures of 0 degrees did not stop the little acitivists with their sales booth

“I learned that you are never too small to make a difference.” Greta Thunberg

Anna, Finja, Iara and Kyran were among the youngest visitors of the Animalma anniversary in October 2022.

The four young animal rights activists were so inspired after the event that they started crafting the very next day and sold their creations in their neighbourhood.

Their handmade items – from bracelets to notebooks to plush bananas – were very well received and so they were able to collect an amount of CHF 300 in donations, which they handed over to me personally shortly before my trip to Bolivia.

With the proceeds, I was able to buy milk powder, vitamin supplements and nappies for the primate babies of Senda Verde, which the orphans urgently need and represent a major cost for the refuge.

And the Senda Verde staff were very touched when I told them the story behind this very special donation.

Thank you so much dear Anna, Finja, Iara and Kyran for your wonderful, inspiring commitment to help wildlife in Bolivia!

I want to help animals too

The miracle of the little animal welfarists as a gallery

Safety for the rangers of Madidi National Park

Animalma by Sarah Campaigns, Nature protection , , 0 Comment
Safety for the rangers of Madidi National Park
3 of the 27 rangers, who now have an accident and whole life insurance thanks to our help from Switzerland.

We help the green heroes, the rangers of protected areas in Bolivia – for example with an accident and whole life insurance.

The Madidi National Park in the Bolivian Amazon is the most biodiverse conservation area worldwide.

It is protected by 27 rangers; they are in the crossfire of illegal wildlife trade, exploitation (especially gold and wood) and slash-and-burn for meet and cocaine production.

It is a dangerous, hard job in the middle of nowhere, too often outnumbered.

The Madidi, its’ preservation and thus its’ rangers have become a strong part in our mission since first visiting this natural wonder.

A big donation made possible due to the Animalma anniversary was waiting to be spent meaningfully and sustainably in the beginning of 2023. The rangers lack all kinds of equipment to do their work well prepared and safely. Unfortunately, it does happen that donations in kind disappear without a trace.

This is why we decided to invest in an accident and whole life insurance for the 27 rangers of Madidi National Park. For many of them, it is the very first time to fall back on an insurance, if something happens to them while doing their vital work.

The insurance covers

  • Accidental death USD 10’000.-
  • Permanent partial or full invalidity USD 10’000.-
  • Reimbursement for medications USD 1’000.-

and has cost USD 51.72 per person.

The coverage started on 15th of March 2023 for one year.

We thank all guests from the Animalma anniversary as well as other anonymous donors, who gave us financial aid without a special purpose. You made this help possible.

It is thanks to you, that the rangers and their families can feel saver this year!

HELP US

Jungle magic

Impressions of our very first trip to Madidi National Park