NATUWA, A place of refuge and protection
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| Jaguar Panthera onca, Costa Rica |
NATUWA Wildlife Sanctuary provides refuge and protection to the animals that have been victimized by human actions, such as hunting, removal from their environments and the deforestation. These actions within natural environments of wild animals increases the vulnerability of the species and causes immense damage to ecosystems. Many times, the result is a large quantity of animals expelled from their habitats, with physical and psychological ailments that are overcome with much difficulty.
Wildlife animal sanctuary Costa Rica
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| Amazona auropalliata, Yellow nape. Costa Rica native parrot. |
NATUWA Wildlife Sanctuary, provides refuge and protection to several species of wild animals of Costa Rica; this animals present physical and behavioral problems; which is why, they need to be housed in a true Sanctuary of wild animals.
Why these animals arrive at NATUWA?
Unfortunately, they are extracted from different natural environments by anthropogenic causes; like hunting, destruction of the habitat and even problems of coexistence between fauna and people (See Sanctuary of Jaguars).
On the other hand, the life of an animal in captivity demands special physical and mental health; this implies, a lot of space to run or fly, in addition, up to the opportunity to isolate themselves from their own species.
Also, the sanctuary houses more than 200 macaws that require environmental enrichment every day, thus guaranteeing these beautiful birds of the neotropics a life in captivity that promotes animal welfare. In addition, among these parrots, we give protection and care to more than 20 disabled macaws; in enclosures specially built for birds that can not fly. This is due to the mismanagement that they have received when being captive in the house of the human being.Exotic parrots
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| Blue and gold macaw from South America. |
These organisms, being exotic birds, can NOT be released in the natural ecosystems of the national territory of Costa Rica. But, they do require the same care that is given to the native animals of Costa Rica, in addition to due respect. In their original environments, exotic birds suffer the theft of nestlings from their nests to be sold in the illegal pet market. In this way, they are under threat of extinction as are many parrots in the world.
The 5 freedoms of animal welfare
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| Alouata palliata, howler monkey rescued form the power lines |
Therefore, the NATUWA Wildlife Sanctuary, in addition to scarlet macaws (Ara macao) and green macaws (Ara ambiguus) and other exotic parrots, also shelters mammals of great biological importance for the ecosystems that need to be conserved. Such as: anteaters, tapirs, jaguars, sloths, anteaters, white-tailed deer. This fauna of Costa Rica is supervised and cared for by a team of specialists in order to provide them with the following freedoms:
- Freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition.
- Freedom of discomfort.
- Freedom from pain and illness.
- Freedom to express normal behavior.
- Freedom from fear and stress.
Please visit: https://www.natuwa.org
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| Scarlet macaw, ara macao |
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| African turtle, confiscated by the polize. |
