Sloths and monkeys were the highlight of today. After having a delicious breakfast, we set off to an animal sanctuary where we took a tour of their enclosures and prepared food for the various creatures. We learned through this experience the importance of caring for animals correctly and the dangers of captivity. We saw sloths, parrots, monkeys, macaws, boars, toucans, iguanas, and many more on the property.
As we toured the rain forest, we were stunned by mother natures work and the vibrancy in the trees. We were also captured by the beauty of the animals and nature, but also devastated by the crimes committed against them. Many of the animals in the sanctuary are there because they were hurt in accidents or because people illegally had them as pets. It was quite emotional hearing the story of a bird who lost a wing and animals that could never meet their mothers again, but were touched knowing they were recovering and in a safe, caring and comfortable home.
We are personally so grateful for being able to have this chance to explore and tour the area and be gifted with rare sightings of 3 sloths. After having empanadas and other things for lunch, we began the service work. This included preparing their food, learning about the best ways to give it to them, and watching how excited they get when it’s feeding time; it’s safe to say the animals don’t like their greens!
I would say the biggest highlights of today would be the tour guide jokes and the food. It’s the little things that really make an experience worth it. We ended the day with a beautiful dinner, a calm reflection through a journal session, and a day full of new knowledge and perspective.
